Uncle Francis and Aunt Sydney
by Dr. Maura Isles-Rizzoli
Summary: Gage and Sydney babysit for Gage's nieces.
1. The Phone Call

**Uncle Francis and Aunt Sydney**

DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the actual characters from _Walker, Texas Ranger_. However, the original characters are mine…Though the three little girls are loosely based on characters from _Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants_.

Chapter One: The Phone Call

Texas Ranger Francis Gage reached over and clicked off the television. "Well," he said to his partner, Sydney Cooke, "that was the crappiest movie ever."

She laughed. "Yeah, it was pretty bad. What possessed you to rent _Zoolander_, anyway?"

Gage shrugged. "Seemed like a good idea at the time." Glancing at the clock, he got to his feet. "I should get going. See you tomorrow at work?"

"Bright and early," Sydney agreed. She stood, too, and followed him to the door.

Gage opened it, shrugging on his jacket at the same time. "See ya then, Shorty," he said with a wink.

Sydney reached out and punched him.

"Ow!" he said, rubbing his arm.

"Good-night, Gage." With a smile, Sydney shut and locked the door. Flipping off the lights, she headed down the hall to her bedroom.

------------

The next morning, Sydney was awakened by a ringing telephone. Fumbling for a few seconds, she finally managed to grab the receiver from the nightstand.

"Hello?" she said sleepily. A quick glance at her watch told her it was only five-thirty a.m.

"Hey, Shorty!"

Sydney groaned. "What do you want, Gage?" she asked grumpily. "It's not even light out."

"I need your help," her partner replied. "I just got off the phone with Julie."

Sydney sat up, wide awake. It wasn't like his sister to call at the crack of dawn. "Is she okay? What's wrong?"

"She's fine," Gage assured her. "It's David's mother." David Rollins was Julie's husband of one year. "She's got pneumonia, and she wants Jules and David to stay with her for a week or two."

"And?"

"Well, school just started, and David doesn't want the girls to miss so much so soon." Gage's brother-in-law had three daughters from a previous marriage: twelve-year-old Bridget and eleven-year-old twins Carmen and Christina. His first wife had died when the twins were two. "Jules asked if I would watch them."

Sydney scoffed. "You? What do you know about taking care of kids?"

"Exactly!" Gage exclaimed. "So—"

"Wait a minute," Sydney interrupted. "What, exactly, do you need _my_ help for?" She had a sinking feeling that she knew where this was headed.

"Um, well, Syd…You know I've only got the one bedroom here," he replied. "And like you said, I know _nothing_ about taking care of kids, especially a bunch of girls."

"Out with it, partner."

"Could we stay at your place?" Gage said in a rush.

Sydney laughed. "My place? Gage…"

"Come on, Syd," he pleaded. "The girls could sleep in the guest room, and I'll sleep on the couch. Please? You'd really be helping Julie and David out, not just me."

She sighed, and considered it for a minute. She _did_ have a spare bedroom, and the sofa in her living room opened up into a bed. After another sigh, she answered, "All right, all right."

"Thank you so much," Gage gushed.

"You're welcome. When are they going to be here?"

"Um, well…" he hesitated. "Three o'clock."

"Three o'clock!" Sydney threw the covers off and jumped out of bed. "I've got so much to do before work!"

"I'll come over and help," her partner offered.

"Great," she said.

"See you in a few."

"Bye." Hanging up the phone, Sydney crossed the room and began rifling through her closet.

------------

It wasn't easy, but somehow they did it. By eight-thirty, when they left for Ranger Headquarters, Sydney's apartment was ready for Gage's nieces' arrival. There were clean linens on the double bed in the guest room, and a twin-size roll-a-way bed had been set up, as well, (Gage's contribution). Sydney had made room for their things in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom, and set a stack of fresh towels on the dresser. She and Gage ran to the supermarket and picked up enough food for the week. The last thing they did was put sheets and a blanket on the sofa bed in the living room.

"Jules will drop off their stuff at the office around nine-thirty," Gage told Sydney on the way to HQ. "Her flight leaves at noon. The girls have school, so we need to pick them up at three."

"Sounds great," Sydney replied. "I just hope we're ready."


	2. Something's Up

Chapter Two: Something's Up

Around 2:30 that afternoon, Sydney put down her pen and looked over at Cordell Walker, who checked his watch and nodded. Gage and Sydney had spoken to him earlier in the morning, and he knew they had to leave early. "Come on, Gage," she said, shrugging on her jacket.

"Where are you guys goin'?" Jimmy Trivette asked.

"We've got to pick up my nieces at school," Gage explained, pulling his leather jacket over his shoulders. "Julie and David are gone, so they're staying with me."

"Are you sure you're qualified to take care of kids, Gage?" Jimmy asked, his face the picture of seriousness until the younger Ranger threw a wadded-up ball of paper at him. It bounced off the top of his head and he, in retaliation, threw it back.

Sydney caught the paper as it rebounded off Gage's shoulder. "All right, boys, break it up. I had the same thought you had, Jimmy," she said, eliciting an amused look from him, "and so Gage and the girls are staying at my apartment."

Jimmy opened his mouth to say something, but Gage cut him off.

"The couch, Trivette," he said firmly. "I'm sleeping on the couch."

Walker laughed. "You guys had better get going. We'll see you at dinner, right?"

Sydney and Gage nodded. After their conversation in the morning, Walker had called his wife, and Alex had agreed to host a small dinner party to celebrate Bridget, Carmen, and Christina's arrival. It would just be Walker, Alex, Jimmy, Erica, Gage, Sydney, and the girls. And Angela, of course.

"Seven, right?" Sydney asked as she and her partner made their way to the door.

"Right," her boss agreed. "See you then."

------------

They arrived at Morningside Middle School fifteen minutes early, and pulled into a parking space across the street. The girls knew, of course, that their uncle was picking them up; however, they didn't know what his car looked like. So Gage and Sydney got out of the car and stood, together, leaning against the driver's side and watching the school's front doors.

At precisely three o'clock they opened, and students began pouring out. After a few minutes Gage spotted his nieces.

"Bridget!" he called out as they neared the sidewalk.

She looked up, and spotted him and Sydney. "Uncle Francis!"

Sydney giggled, unable to stop herself. "Francis," she muttered under her breath.

"I heard that," Gage told her. "Sydney _Gwendolyn_."

She shook her head. Ever since she'd told him her middle name, she'd regretted it.

Bridget led her little sisters across the street, and they hugged their uncle.

"You remember Syd, right?" Gage asked them.

They nodded, (Gage had brought her with him to David and Julie's wedding; in fact, Sydney had been one of Julie's bridesmaids), but when she moved to hug them, they stepped back. Sydney dropped her arms and shared a confused look with Gage.

After a slightly awkward pause, Gage opened the back door of the car. "Let's head home, shall we?" Bridget, Carmen, and Christina climbed into the backseat, and he shut the door behind them. Then he went around to the other side and climbed into the passenger seat beside Sydney.

The drive to Sydney's apartment was quiet. When they got there, Gage opened up the trunk and pulled out two big duffel bags. He headed into the building, and his nieces followed him without a backward glance. Sighing, Sydney pulled the remaining suitcase from the trunk and headed up the three flights of stairs to her place. The door was open a crack, and she was about to go in when she heard Bridget's voice.

"Why are we staying _here_?" she asked.

"Because there's more room here at Syd's," Gage replied, trying to figure out where the hostiliy toward his partner was coming from. They had seemed to like her well enough before.

"But we wanted to stay with _you_," Christina insisted.

Gage started to respond, but Carmen cut him off.

"Not with you and _her_."

"Ahem." Sydney cleared her throat before pushing the door open.

Ashamed, the three girls cast their eyes to the ground. _Had she heard them?_

Not wanting a confrontation, Sydney forced herself to smile. "Would you like to see your room?"

"I guess so," Carmen answered dully.

"Follow me." Sydney led the way down the hall to the guestroom, and opened the door. "What do you think?"

The girls looked around. In spite of themselves, they began to smile.

"Pretty cool," Christina admitted, fingering the royal blue comforter. Lined up along the top were flower-shaped throw pillows in bright colors.

"It's all right," Bridget said coolly.

Sydney shot Gage a helpless look, then laid the suitcase on the rollaway bed. "We're going to a friend's house for dinner," she said. "Please be ready by six-fifteen." Swallowing over the lump in her throat, she left the room.

Gage watched her go, then turned to his nieces. "Look, I don't know what's going on with you guys," he said, "but obviously something's up. I don't get it. Sydney was nice enough to let us stay here, and you're not being very grateful. In fact, you're being downright disrespectful. And it had better stop right now." He started for the door, then turned around. "We'll be in Sydney's bedroom—"

"Ooh, her _bedroom_!" Bridget interrupted evilly.

"—when you're ready to apologize." He turned and went in search of his hurt partner.


	3. They Don't Hate You

Okay, I know it's been a while since I updated, and I'm sorry for that. I've been stuck at home, computerless, waiting for the summer session at school to start so I could get back online. But I got two chapters written while I was waiting, so….enjoy!

Chapter Three: They Don't Hate You

Gage found his partner in her bedroom, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Are you all right?" he asked, closing the door behind him.

Sydney didn't answer, but he heard her sniffle. Moving toward her, he caught a glimpse of tearstains on her cheeks before she turned away.

_Sydney Cooke _never_ cries_, he thought. Out loud, he said, "Come on, Syd. Talk to me."

Finally, after a few minutes, she turned to him. "What did I do wrong?"

"Nothing!" Gage assured her.

"Then why do they hate me?"

Gage could see tears in her eyes again. "They don't hate you, Syd."

"Could've fooled me."

A tear slid down her cheek, and Gage impulsively reached over and wiped it away with his thumb. He looked into her eyes for a few seconds, then sat down next to her.

"I don't know what's wrong with them," he admitted with a sigh.

"They seemed to like me okay before," Sydney mused. "When we were planning Julie and David's wedding, everything was fine."

"When I visited last month," Gage said, "one of the first things they did was ask about you." Until two weeks ago, Julie and David had lived in San Francisco.

They sat there for a few minutes, lost in thought. Then Sydney turned to her partner.

"I think I'm going to take a nap," she said. A teasing glare crept across her face. "_Somebody_ woke me up at the crack of dawn this morning."

Gage smiled. If she was making jokes, she must be feeling better. "All right. I'll wake you up when it's time to get ready for dinner."

"Thanks."

Gage watched as she lay down on the bed, then he went to the door. His eyes lingered on her for a moment, then he stepped into the hallway and closed the door. He debated speaking to his nieces again, but decided instead to watch a movie in the living room.

------------

"Syd? Wake up, Syd." Gage gently shook her shoulder.

"Go away, Gage," she mumbled. Her eyes still shut tight, she brushed his hand away.

"Come on, Shorty, get up. It's five-thirty."

Sydney's eyes flew open, and she sat up "I need to get ready!" She got to her feet, and went to get closet. Flipping through the hangers, she pulled out a red dress. "Does this look okay?"

Gage studied the dress for a minute. He remembered it from the night they were at Frank's Spot after their undercover assignment. "It's beautiful," he told her honestly, then left her alone to get dressed.

Ten minutes later, Sydney emerged from the bedroom.

"Hey, you changed your dress!" Gage noticed.

She nodded. Instead of the red dress, she was wearing black pants and a sleeveless lavender-and-black top. "Yeah. The dress was a little fancy for dinner at Walker and Alex's." She paused. "Do I still look all right?"

Gage resisted the urge to tell her that she would look beautiful no matter _what_ she wore. "You look very pretty."

She blushed. "Thanks, partner. Listen, I'm gonna fix my hair in the bathroom, so you can change in my room if you want."

"Thanks, Syd."

"No problem."

After changing into black pants and a dark blue button-down shirt, Gage checked his watch: 6:02. The door to the guest room was closed, so he knocked lightly.

"Who is it?"

"It's your uncle. Open up."

The door was opened instantly by Bridget. "Hey, Uncle Francis! What's up?"

Looking at his nieces, Gage was relieved to see that they were dressed for dinner. "I want to talk to you guys for a minute."

Bridget nodded, and joined her sisters on the bed. Gage pulled up a chair beside them.

"I noticed that you haven't apologized to Sydney," he began.

"We—" Carmen tried to interject, but her uncle stopped her.

"We don't have time now, Carmen," he said. "I can't make you apologize, but I have a favor to ask."

"What's that?" Christina asked warily.

"Our friends went through a lot of trouble to put this dinner together. I expect you to be polite, courteous, and respectful. To everyone. _Including Sydney_."

Bridget bit her lip. "All right."

"No problem," Christina and Carmen chimed in.

Sydney appeared in the doorway then, and Gage silently marveled at how she could look so beautiful, even dressed for a casual dinner. Her long, dark hair was pulled back at the sides, and her make-up was perfect. "Everybody ready?"

"All set," Gage answered. "Let's go."

Outside, he unlocked the car, and got in behind the wheel. Sydney reached for the handle to the passenger-side door, but Bridget beat her to it.

"_I_ want to sit next to my _uncle_," she stated stubbornly.

Gage started to say something to her, but Sydney stopped him.

"It's fine, Gage," she said wearily. With a sigh, she slid into the backseat beside the twins. "It's not worth arguing over."

Gage nodded reluctantly, and a smug-looking Bridget climbed into the car. Her triumphant attitude vanished, however, when she saw how displeased her uncle was.

"Sorry," she whispered, staring down at her lap.

"Remember what I said," he whispered back, and started the car.


	4. Let's Enjoy Tonight

Author's Note: I realized, as I began chapter four, that this story is supposed to be a comedy and there hasn't been much comedy! (The whole scenario of Gage's nieces hating Sydney didn't occur to me until I was writing and –BAM!—it appeared on the page.) But I promise that there will be more comedy to come.

Chapter Four: Let's Enjoy Tonight

The ride to the Walker ranch was quiet and uneventful. As Gage drove the car up the drive he noticed Trivette's Mustang parked behind Walker's Dodge Ram.

"Trivette and Erika are here already," Gage announced.

"Great," Sydney said, forcing a smile.

Parking beside the Mustang, Gage got out of the car and opened the back door for Sydney, Carmen, and Christina. Seeing the look on his partner's face, Gage turned to his nieces. "We'll meet you guys at the porch in a minute, okay?"

Reluctantly, (and with a somewhat angry glance in Sydney's direction), Bridget led her sisters to the porch steps, where they sat side-by-side and waited.

"Are you okay?" Gage asked.

"Yeah," Sydney replied, the forced smile reappearing. "I'll be fine."

"Listen," he said, leaning close to her. "Let's enjoy tonight. Forget about my nieces' attitudes, at least for the next few hours. They've promised to behave…And you _know_ Alex has cooked something wonderful. We're with our friends—and you look beautiful, by the way—so let's have a good time."

Sydney smiled—for real this time—and nodded. "All right."

Gage smiled, too, and slipped his arm around her shoulders as they made their way up the front walk. When they reached the porch, Bridget opened her mouth to say something, but was silenced by a Look from her uncle. Instead, she ran up the steps and rang the doorbell.

"Hi!" Alex exclaimed cheerfully when she opened the door a moment later. Eight-month-old Angela was perched on her hip, chewing on a teething biscuit. "Come on in!"

They followed her into the living room. Walker, Erika, and Trivette were gathered there, and they stood up to say hello.

"Guys, these are my nieces," Gage announced. "Bridget, Carmen, and Christina." He smiled. "Girls, these are my friends." He went around the room, introducing everyone.

"You guys can get acquainted while I check on dinner," Alex said.

"I'll take Ange for you," Sydney offered.

"Thanks." She handed over the baby, and disappeared into the kitchen. She returned ten minutes later.

"Dinner's ready!"

------------

Dinner went surprisingly well. No snide comments or glares from the girls. Sydney had a feeling, though, that it wouldn't last. She was willing to bet that as soon as they returned to her apartment, things would go back as they were. But for now, as everyone finished their meals, all was well.

Walker began clearing the table, and Gage and Trivette stood to help him. Bridget, Carmen, and Christina got up and went to the electronic swing in the corner, where Angela was sleeping.

"Would you like to put her to bed for me?" Alex asked them.

"Really?" Carmen said.

She smiled. "Sure."

"We'd love to!" Bridget answered, gently lifting the baby from the swing.

"Her pajamas are in the second dresser drawer," Alex instructed.

"Thanks, Alex!" Bridget led the way as she and her sisters headed upstairs.

When the men were finished with the table, they retreated to the living room to discuss a case they were working on. Alex, Sydney, and Erika moved into the kitchen to make coffee and do the dishes.

Sydney was rinsing the dishes that Erika had washed, (and handing them to Alex, who dried them), when she decided to tell them about the problems with the girls. Besides Gage, they were her best friends, and she felt she could confide in them. "I need some advice."

"What's up?" Alex asked, as she stacked dry plates in the cabinet.

"It's about Gage's nieces." Sydney described their attitudes and actions. "I don't know what to do."

"Do you have any idea why they've turned on you?" Erika asked.

Sydney shook her head. "No. Gage said everything was fine when he went to California last month to visit."

Alex took the last cup from her, and dried it thoughtfully. "If you can't figure out what cause it, maybe you should just concentrate on figuring out how to _fix_ it."

The dishes finished, Sydney slumped down in a chair. "But how?"

Alex and Erika sat, too, deep in thought. After a few minutes, Alex asked, "Bridget's the ringleader of this whole thing, isn't she?"

Sydney nodded. "How did you know?"

"It makes sense," Alex replied. "She's the oldest, and her sisters look up to her. So, if she decided for some reason that she doesn't like you, it's likely they're just following her."

"So what do I do to fix it?"

"You've got to make Bridget change her mind," Erika said, catching on. "Then Carmen and Christina will do the same."

"Any ideas?"

"Didn't you tell me once that Bridget likes soccer?"

"Yeah," she replied, nodding. "She's been playing since she was five, and she's gone to soccer camp the last few summers."

"Doesn't the HOPE Center team practice tomorrow?" Alex asked.

Sydney's eyes lit up. "Yeah! I could bring her to practice." She smiled. "I knew coaching that team would come in handy." She paused. "Do you think that it would help?"

Both Alex and Erika nodded.

"Show her you have something in common," Erika added.

Sydney took a deep breath. "I hope you're right." She glanced at the coffee, which had just finished brewing. "What do you say we bring our men some coffee?"

Erika and Alex shared a look.

"_Our_ men?" Alex asked.

"Since when is Gage your man?" Erika added.

Sydney blushed. "He's not! You know what I mean."

The three women shared a laugh, then started filling coffee cups.


	5. Soccer, Huh?

Author's Note: Chapter Five was the hardest to write, for some reason, which is why it took me so long. I actually stopped, wrote Chapter Six, and then came back to this one! But it's finally done, so here it is. Oh yeah, and the girls on the soccer team (except Fawn) are based on my little sister and her friends.

Chapter Five: Soccer, Huh?

"Where's Uncle Francis?"

The next day, Sydney went alone to pick up Gage's nieces from school. (He stayed behind at the office to finish some paperwork.) Needless to say, the girls were less than thrilled with the arrangement, and they made it know right away.

Sydney sighed. "He's at work."

Pouting, the girls climbed into the car. When they pulled up in front of the Help Our People Excel Center ten minutes later, Bridget shot Sydney a puzzled look. "Where are we?"

"The HOPE Center," she replied, and briefly explained the working of the center.

"Why are we here?" Christina asked.

"I volunteer here every Thursday," Sydney answered. "I coach one of the girls' sports teams." She got out of the car and motioned for the girls to do the same.

Before they could ask which team, (Sydney wanted it to be a surprise), two school buses pulled up behind them. About twenty kids, ages six through fourteen, poured out the doors.

"Hey, Sydney!" they called out enthusiastically.

"Hi, guys!" she replied, waving.

While the kids ran into the Center, Sydney opened the trunk of her car and pulled out a gym bag. The night before, she had asked the girls to pack a change of clothes. (She didn't tell them what they were for.) She had a spare outfit for herself, as well.

A few minutes later, ten girls returned to the front yard: the soccer team. They were wearing purple t-shirts, black shorts, and sneakers: the official practice uniform of the HOPE Center Hawks. (Their team colors were purple and white.) Each girl carried a gym bag over her shoulder.

One of the girls ran straight to Sydney. "Hey, Syd," she said, giving her a hug.

Sydney smiled. "Hi, Fawn," she replied. She and Fawn had grown especially close since their hike in the Tall Grass Prairie. After Sydney was shot, Fawn visited her in the hospital every day until she was able to go home.

"Is Shannon here yet?" another girl, Katrina Holmes, asked.

Sydney shook her head. Shannon Clarke was a high school senior, and a regular volunteer at the Center. On Thursdays, she helped drive the girls to the middle school for practice. "Not yet." Looking around, she realized that Gage's nieces were still standing by the car. "Come here, you guys," she coaxed.

Slowly, Bridget, Carmen, and Christina approached her, and Sydney gathered the girls around her. "You remember Ranger Gage, right?" The team nodded. "Well, these are his nieces. Bridget is twelve, and Christina and Carmen are eleven."

"Hi," a few girls said.

Sydney turned to Bridget and her sisters. "Girls, this is my team." She began to point them out, starting with Fawn. "This is Fawn Gentry. We go waaay back."

"What do you mean?" Carmen asked.

"I was there when Sydney got shot," Fawn explained.

"Shot?" Bridget exclaimed. "What happened?"

"I'll tell you later," Sydney promised. Then she continued with the introductions. There were ten girls, total, ranging in age from eight to twelve years old: Fawn; Katrina; Baylee and Chloe Rogers; Misty Andrews; Kayla Fairchild; Mary Whitcomb; Paige Matthews; Victoria Snider; and Donna Martin.

Just as she finished, Shannon arrived, so she had to introduce Bridget, Carmen, and Christina again.

"Is everybody ready?" Shannon asked a few minutes later.

"Yeah!" everybody chorused.

"All right," Sydney said with a laugh. "Just let me change, and we're gone." She was still wearing the jeans and sweater she had worn to work. "Be right back." She turned to Gage's nieces. "Come on, you guys." She ran up the walk, (the girls followed at a much slower pace), and into the house. She spoke briefly with Josie Martin, the Center's manager, while the girls changed out of their school uniforms in the bathroom. When they were done, she quickly changed into black shorts and a red tank top, and hurried back outside. "All right, who's going with whom?"

The girls scrambled around until they were broken into two groups. One piled into Shannon's red minivan, and the other followed Sydney to black one that belonged to the Center. After a little bickering about who got the front seat, they were on their way.

------------

Ten minutes later, Sydney drove the van into the parking lot of James Middle School, and parked near the soccer field. Shannon pulled into the space next to her, and the players spilled out of both vans. Talking and laughing, they ran toward the field and started getting ready for practice. Gage's nieces climbed slowly out of the van, leaned against the side of it.

"Hey, Bridget," Sydney called to her. "Can you help me get the equipment out?"

With a huge sigh, Bridget walked slowly toward her. She watched as the Ranger opened the back of the van, and pulled out a big net bag full of soccer balls.

"Soccer, huh?" Bridget asked casually, trying not to show her excitement.

"That's right," Sydney replied, handing her the bag. "You still love soccer, don't you?"

"Yeah…" Bridget trailed off as she took the heavy bag.

With a small smile, Sydney grabbed a box of orange cones and headed toward the field. Bridget followed a few steps behind, and was quickly joined by her sisters.

"She remembered about the soccer," Carmen said softly.

"I know, I know," Bridget muttered.

"Maybe she's not as bad as we thought," Christina offered.

Bridget didn't answer; they had reached the field, and she dropped the ball bag. Then she flopped onto the grass—her sisters did the same, one on each side of her—and drew her legs up to her chest.

"All right, everybody!" Sydney shouted, getting her team's attention. "You know the drill: five laps, sideline to sideline." The ten team members jumped to their feet and began their warm-up runs. Sydney turned to Gage's nieces. "You guys can join them, if you want."

Christina and Carmen shook their heads. "No thanks," they said in unison.

Sydney nodded, then shifted her gaze to their older sister. "Bridget?"

She looked first at her sisters, then at the girls working on their second lap. Finally, she shrugged. "Why not?" Jumping to her feet, she ran to join the other girls.

Once the laps were done, Sydney led them through their stretching. Then she and Shannon set handed out the soccer balls, and they started working on some basic drills. (Shannon took a seat in the grass with Carmen and Christina, and soon they were engrossed in conversation.)

Twenty minutes later, Sydney gave a blast on the silver whistle that hung around her neck. "Scrimmage time!"

Quickly, the girls ran around the field and gathered the cones and balls from their last drill. They stuffed the balls into the bag, and stacked the cones in the box, and then gathered around their coach.

"Team one!" she announced. "Katrina, Mary, Kayla, Donna, Paige, and Misty! Purple!"

Nodding, the six girls gathered on one side of the field, quietly figuring out who would play what position. The remaining girls pulled off their t-shirts, (they were wearing tank tops underneath), turned them inside-out, and put them back on. The other side was white; they were reversible, so that it was easier to tell the teams apart during practice.

"We're a player short on team two," Sydney continued. She looked at Carmen and Christina. "Sure one of you doesn't want to play?"

They shook their heads. "Sorry."

"Why don't you play, Sydney?" Shannon asked.

"Me?"

"Sure!" Shannon replied. "It's not like you're an expert player or anything, so it's still fair." She snickered. "It's not like you'd tower over them or anything, either."

Sydney smacked her shoulder playfully. It was true, though: she was just barely taller than her eleven-year-old players. "I don't know…"

"C'mon, Syd," Fawn prodded, taking her hand and pulled her toward the field.

"All right, I give," Sydney acquiesced. "I'll play." She pulled off her black windbreaker and tied it around her waist, then followed her players onto the field.

------------

The final score of the scrimmage was 4-3, white team. When it was over, the team helped Sydney load the equipment into the van, and then they headed back to the Center.

"I'll see you guys next week!" Shannon promised as she pulled away from the curb, after dropping off her half of the players.

Everyone waved to her, and then ran up the front walk. The girls chattered animatedly as Sydney followed them through the front door. The girls hurried upstairs, where there was an empty bedroom they could change in.

"You look like you got a workout!" Josie said, as she met Sydney in the kitchen.

She laughed as she dropped into a seat at the kitchen table. "You're not kidding." Sydney's clothes were spotted with grass stains and dirt, and there were bits of grass stuck in her ponytail. "Bridget decided to play, so the teams were uneven, and they drafted _me_ for the scrimmage!"

Josie laughed, and sat down beside her. "What happened to your leg?"

Sydney glanced at the bruise darkening on her left shin. "Let's just say that I have one piece of advice for you: if the ball is coming toward you and you don't know how to stop it…get out of the way!" They laughed. "Kayla has one _heck_ of a powerful kick."

The two women chatted until the girls came back downstairs.

"Are you ready to go?" Sydney asked Bridget, Carmen, and Christina.

"Do we have to leave?" Carmen asked.

"We're having fun," Christina said.

"Sorry, guys," Sydney responded. "But we have to pick up your uncle at work."

Frowning, the three girls said good-bye to their new friends, and followed Sydney back out to her car. When they pulled up in front of the Tarrant County Courthouse fifteen minutes later, Gage was waiting for them by the front steps. As he climbed into the car, he looked at Sydney.

"Shorty, what happened to you?"


	6. I'm Sorry

Chapter Six: I'm Sorry

After dinner that night, Gage offered to do the dishes. His nieces retreated to their room to start their homework, and Sydney curled up on the couch with the latest Mary Higgins Clark suspense novel. She had only read a few pages, though, when she heard her name.

"Um, Sydney?"

She looked up, and saw Bridget standing in the doorway. "Yes?"

"Can I talk to you?"

Sydney put a marker in her book, and patted the cushion next to her. "Have a seat."

Slowly, Bridget crossed the room and sat down on the sofa. She was quiet for a minute, and then took a deep breath. "Um, well…I know my sisters and I haven't been very nice to you since we got here."

Sydney nodded. "That's true."

Bridget bit her lip. "Well, I just wanted to say…"

"Yes?" Sydney prompted gently.

"I wanted to say…I'm sorry." Once she got the words out, she gave a small sigh of relief.

A small smile came over Sydney's face. "I accept you apology."

Bridget looked at her, surprised. "Really? You forgive me?"

"Of course I do," she replied. "But can I ask you something?" When Bridget nodded, she continued. "Why have you been so nasty to me? You weren't that way when we were planning your dad's wedding."

Casting her eyes downward, Bridget looked at her lap guiltily. "I know. Planning the wedding with you and Julie was a lot of fun."

"So what changed?"

Bridget gave a small shrug. "I guess it started when Uncle Francis came to visit." She absently played with the hem of her skirt. "He's our only uncle, you know. Mom and Dad were only children." She looked up. "We made all kinds of plans to spend time with him." She paused, unsure if she should continue.

"So what happened?"

"All Uncle Francis could talk about was you," Bridget answered quietly.

Sydney's eye widened. "Me?" she asked, pointing to herself.

Bridget nodded. "Every other sentence out of his mouth was 'Syd this' or 'Syd that'. And every time I turned around, he was on the phone with you!"

Sydney thought back to the week that Gage had been in San Francisco. She hadn't realized it then, but she and Gage _had_ been on the phone a lot. "Bridget, I'm sorry."

"For what?" Bridget looked at her curiously.

"I should've realized that our phone calls were taking away from your visit."

Bridget shook her head. "No, it's not your fault." She sighed. "I guess it was easier to be mad at you that at Uncle Francis."

Sydney nodded understandingly.

Biting her lip some more, Bridget went on. "So I guess I resented you, because I didn't get to spend as much time with my uncle as I wanted to. And it was easy to get my sisters to go along with me; they were upset about it, too."

"I understand," Sydney told her honestly.

"Even though we were mad, it was wrong of us to treat you that way," Bridget admitted. She looked down at her lap again, ashamed.

"What changed your mind about me?"

"Soccer practice," she answered immediately. "It meant a lot to me that you remembered I love soccer. I had a lot of fun today. Now I know why Uncle Francis cares about you so much."

Sydney blushed.

"Carmen and Christina are going to apologize, too," Bridget added. "I told them I wanted to talk to you first."

"I'm glad you did," Sydney said, patting her shoulder.

Bridget smiled. "So, are we cool?"

Sydney laughed. "Yeah, we're cool."

"Great." Leaning forward, Bridget threw her arms around Sydney. Then she stood up, her hand on her hip. "You can come out now, you little eavesdroppers," she said, her gaze fixed on the entrance to the hallway.

A sheepish-looking Carmen and Christina appeared in the living room.

"We just wanted to say we're sorry," Christina said.

"Really sorry," Carmen added.

"It's all right," Sydney told them with a smile. She held out her arms. "Come here."

Giggling, all three girls piled onto the couch with Sydney. It turned into a tickle-fest, until Bridget heard the water shut off in the kitchen; her uncle must be done with the dishes.

"We'd better get back to our homework," she said, disentangling herself from her sisters and Sydney.

"Aw, man!" the twins muttered, but they got to their feet.

"We'll watch a movie when you're done," Sydney promised.

Carmen grinned. "It's a deal!"

Gage walked into the living room just as his nieces disappeared down the hall. "What was that about?" he asked, dropping onto the couch beside his partner and grabbing the TV remote.

She smiled, and picked up her book. "They apologized."


	7. I've Got An Idea

Chapter Seven: I've Got An Idea

_"So what does Steve want?"_

_"I want to dance…with you."_

Bridget sighed happily as the movie credits began to roll. Gage and Christina had wanted to watch _Hostage_, but Sydney, Carmen, and Bridget had won—majority rules—with _The Wedding Planner_.

"I love that movie," Carmen said dreamily, getting up from when she had been sprawled on the carpet.

"Me, too," Bridget agreed as she, too, got to her feet. Glancing at the sofa, she began to giggle. "Look, you guys."

Her sisters followed her gaze, and broke into giggles themselves. Before the movie, Gage had opened up the sofa bed. The five of them had been gathered on it, sharing a bowl of popcorn. Midway through the movie, though, Gage's nieces had moved to the floor, where they had more room to stretch out. Now that the movie was over, the girls noticed that Gage and Sydney had fallen asleep. Her back was to him, and his arm was draped over her waist.

"They look so sweet," Carmen whispered.

Bridget stood there for a minute, a thoughtful look on her face. Then she smiled. "I've got an idea. Meet me in our room in a minute."

The twins nodded, and made their way down the hall. Bridget turned off the television, and picked up a blanket that Carmen had been using. Laying it gently over her sleeping uncle and his partner, she tiptoed out of the room and to her bedroom. Shutting the door silently behind her, Bridget joined her sisters on their bed.

"What's up?" Carmen asked.

"I think we all know there's something more to Uncle Francis and Sydney's partnership," Bridget said, and the twins nodded in agreement. "But I don't think they know it yet."

"But what can we do about it?" Christina questioned. "We're only here for another ten days at the most." Julie had called and said she wasn't sure when she and David would be back, but that they wouldn't be gone more than two weeks.

"I think they just need a little push," her older sister responded. "I wonder…"

"What? What?" her sisters said in unison.

"Do you think their friends might help us?"

"Their friends?" Carmen repeated.

Bridget nodded. "Yeah. You know, Alex and Walker and everybody. I bet they think there's something more there, too."

"It could work," Christina said. "But how do we talk to them without Uncle Francis and Sydney around?"

The three sisters were lost in thought for a few minutes, as they tried to figure out a solution to this dilemma.

"Well, Alex is a lawyer, right?" Carmen asked.

"Right," Christina replied slowly, wondering where her twin was leading.

"She works in the same building as Uncle Francis and everyone, right?"

"Right," Christina said again.

"Well, why don't we ask Sydney to bring us to the office tomorrow after school?" Carmen said. "I bet we could find a reason to go see Alex."

"Better yet," Bridget spoke up. "We don't_ tell_ Sydney or Uncle Francis that we're going to see Alex. We could excuse ourselves to go the bathroom, and sneak down to Alex's office. That way, they have no reason to wonder why we're going to see her. As long as we don't stay too long, I think it could work."

Carmen and Christina nodded.

"I bet Alex would have some ideas for us," Christina added.

Bridget started to agree, but she interrupted herself with a huge yawn. Glancing at the clock on the wall, she saw that it was just after eleven o'clock. "We'd better get to sleep," she told her sisters. Stifling another yawn, she dragged herself off the bed and moved across the room to shut off the lights. Then she set her alarm clock and slipped under the covers.

------------

Gage woke up in the middle of the night, with the sensation that he wasn't alone. Slowly opening his eyes, he was shocked to see Sydney curled up beside him. He wondered for a moment what she was doing there, and then vaguely remembered falling asleep during the movie.

_I wonder if I should wake her up_, he thought to himself. _I mean, she's had a long day, and could probably use the sleep._ He didn't bother to wonder why having his partner so close to him felt so right. He had known for a while that he had feelings for her; he hadn't acted on them because he didn't want to ruin their friendship. He had tried, once, to bring up the subject of their relationship—after she had kissed him—but all that got him was a kick in the head.

After a minute, Gage decided that he'd better wake her, because otherwise she would probably be pretty mad in the morning. He also decided that he should disentangle himself from her first, so as to avoid another kick to his head…or somewhere farther south that would hurt _a lot_ more. Slowly, he started to slide his arm from under her neck.

"Mmm," Sydney murmured, turning over to face him. She was still asleep, and Gage reached out and brushed a piece of hair from her forehead.

He was at a loss. He didn't want to wake her—she was so beautiful when she was sleeping—but he was afraid to let her sleep, too. If she woke up in this position in the morning…Valuing his life, Gage tried once more to pull away from his partner. This time, Sydney snuggled closer to him and rested her head on him chest.

_What am I supposed to do_? Gage wondered. _If I leave her like this, she's gonna kill me_. Right about then, Sydney sighed contentedly, and Gage shrugged inwardly. He couldn't wake her up when she was sleeping so peacefully. Admitting defeat—though not the least bit upset about it—he wrapped his arm around her waist and closed his eyes.


	8. We Need Your Help

Author's Note: Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter up. I've been without a computer for three weeks, and I also had horrible writer's block. I finally got it done, though, and hopefully the next chapter will be easier. Oops, almost forgot, a quick disclaimer: "Why Don't You Kiss Her?" belongs to Jesse McCartney.

Chapter Eight: We Need Your Help

"Sydney? Sydney, wake up."

Slowly, Sydney opened her eyes. Bridget was standing over her, gently shaking her shoulder. "Bridge? What time is it?"

"Six-thirty."

As Sydney became fully awake, she was aware that she wasn't in her room. She was in the sofa bed in the living room. Then she blushed as she realized she wasn't alone. Gage was spooned against her, his arm tightly wrapped around her waist. Quickly—but gently, so that she didn't wake him—Sydney slid out from under her partner's arm and stood up. "I'm gonna jump in the shower," she told Bridget, and then glanced down at Gage. "Um, wake your uncle for me, okay?"

Bridget had to fight not to laugh at how flustered Sydney was. "No problem."

"Thanks." With a final, embarrassed look at Gage, Sydney hurried from the room.

As soon as she heard the bathroom door close, Bridget dissolved into giggles. When she managed to get a grip, she reached over and poked her uncle. "Uncle Francis?"

"Hmph." Rolling away from her, he pulled the blanket over his head.

Rolling her eyes, Bridget gave him a hard shove. "Uncle Francis!"

He didn't move.

Sighing, Bridget bent down so that her face was just inches from his ear. "UNCLE FRANCIS!"

Gage sat up like he had been shot out of a cannon. "Huh! What!"

Bridget laughed. "Finally."

Reaching up to rub the sleep from his eyes, Gage looked confused. "What?"

Shaking her head, Bridget pointed to the clock on the wall. "Six-forty. I was wondering how long it would take me to wake you up."

He looked around. "Where's Syd?"

Bridget jerked her thumb in the direction of the bathroom. "In the shower. She asked me to get you up."

"Thanks." Her uncle got to his feet, and began folding the blanket. "You'd better get ready for school."

Nodding, Bridget headed back to her bedroom.

------------

Thirty minutes later, they were all gathered in the kitchen. Sydney's table was only really big enough for two, so Gage's nieces were sitting side-by-side on the counter, their plates balanced in their laps.

"What do you guys wanna do after school today?" Sydney asked as she sipped her coffee.

Bridget glanced at her sister. "Actually, we were wondering if we could go to work with you."

"Come to Headquarters?" Gage said, surprised. "Really?"

Christina nodded. "We thought it might be cool."

Sydney smiled. "Well, I don't see why we couldn't work that out."

The sisters shared a triumphant smile. "All right!"

------------

At about three-fifteen that afternoon, Gage led his nieces into Ranger Headquarters.

"Hi, girls," Walker said with a warm smile.

"Hey, how's it goin'?" Trivette added.

"Hi, Walker. Hi, Jimmy," Bridget, Carmen, and Christina chorused.

For a few minutes Gage led them around the office, introducing them to everyone. Then he asked them what they wanted to do next.

"We have a ton of homework," Carmen admitted. "Is there somewhere where we could work on that?"

"Yeah," Bridget agreed. "That way you guys could get your work done, too."

Gage looked around the room. The big round table beside his and Sydney's desks was empty, and he pointed to it. "Why don't you guys set up there?"

The girls dumped their backpacks on the table, and soon the surface was covered with books, paper, and pens. Everyone was quiet as both the Rangers and the girls worked intently.

About an hour later, Bridget looked up at her sisters. She caught their eyes, and they all shared a smile and a discreet nod. Then Bridget got up and approached Gage and Sydney. "Uncle Francis?"

He looked up from the forms he was filling out. "What's up?"

"Just wanted to let you know we're going to the bathroom."

Sydney started to get up. "I'll show you where it is."

"No!" Bridget said, more urgently than she intended. She forced a quick laugh and smiled. "It's all right. You guys finish your work. We can find it on our own."

"If you're sure," Sydney said uncertainly, as she sat back down.

Carmen and Christina appeared at their sister's side. "We're sure."

"All right," Gage consented. "Go ahead."

His nieces nodded, and headed to the door. They went out into the hallway, pretending to look for a bathroom, until they were safely around the corner.

"Now, where do you think Alex's office is?" Carmen asked.

"I think we should go back to the first floor," her twin suggested. "I think I saw a building directory there."

Her sisters nodded, and the three of them hurried to the elevator. When they got out on the first floor, they saw a directory on the wall nearby, and ran to it.

"There she is!" Christina exclaimed softly a minute later, pointing to the directory. "Alex Cahill-Walker, 105."

"But where _is_ 105?" Carmen wondered.

Bridget glanced around. "Let's try this way," she suggested, pointing to the right hallway. Carmen and Christina nodded, and they headed off in that direction. After a wrong turn or two, they came upon Alex's office. They told her secretary who they were, and a minute later, Alex opened the door to her inner office.

"Come on in!" she invited with a smile.

"Hi, Alex," Bridget said, and her younger sisters echoed her.

She gestured for them to sit down. "What are you guys doing here?"

"We need your help," Carmen told her.

Alex folded her hands in front of her. "What's up?"

Bridget took a deep breath, and told her what had happened between her uncle and his partner the night before. "We think they have feelings for each other, but won't admit it."

A smile crossed Alex's face. "I agree."

"We want to get them together before we leave," Christina explained. "But we have no idea how."

"Hmm." Alex leaned back in her chair, deep in thought. The girls did the same, and the room was quiet until Carmen started humming absentmindedly. A few seconds later, Bridget burst out laughing.

"What?" Alex asked, startled.

"The song she's humming," Bridget answered. "It's perfect for Uncle Francis and Sydney."

"What is it?"

"'Why Don't You Kiss Her?'. It's a Jesse McCartney song about a guy who's in love with his best friend, and he's wondering why he doesn't make a move."

Alex smiled. "You know what, that is perfect for them." Her eyes lit up. "I think I have an idea."

"What?" What?" All three girls leaned toward her, eager to hear.

She shook her head. "Not yet. I have to check a few things out first. And you'd better get back upstairs…I'm guessing your uncle doesn't know you're in my office."

Bridget shook her head sheepishly. "No. We told him and Sydney we were going to find the bathroom."

Alex stood up, and shooed them toward the door. "Hurry up and get back there before they come looking for you. I'll let you know when I have everything figured out."

"Great," Bridget said, as she opened the door leading out into the hall. "Thanks, Alex."

She smiled. "You're very welcome. Now get going!"

The three girls practically _flew_ upstairs to Ranger Headquarters. They stopped outside the door to catch their breath, and then entered the office.

"There you are!" Gage exclaimed. "You've been gone nearly a half-hour! Where've you been?"

His nieces looked at each other.

"We got lost looking for the bathroom."


	9. If You Say So

Author's Note: I know this one is a little short, but I thought it was kinda cute. Alex's plan will most likely be revealed in the next chapter.

Chapter Nine: If You Say So

The weekend came and went without any word from Alex about her plan. Bridget, Carmen, and Christina were beginning to lose hope. They wondered if they would ever be able to get their uncle and Sydney together.

On Tuesday morning, Gage and Sydney dropped the girls off at school, and headed into the office. Trivette was typing away at his computer, but Walker's desk was empty.

"Hey, Trivette," Sydney said to him as she slipped off her jacket.

"Hey, guys," he replied with a smile.

"Where's Walker?" Gage asked.

"He's speaking at a high school in Waco," Trivette answered. "It's for Kick Drugs Out of America. He should be back sometime after lunch."

Sydney nodded, and went to pour herself a cup of coffee. A few hours later, she was slowly working her way through a thick stack of paperwork when her phone rang. "Ranger Cooke."

"Hi, Sydney!" Alex greeted her cheerfully.

"Hey, Alex. What's up?"

"Nothing much. I just wanted to know if you and Gage want to bring the girls over for dinner tonight."

"Sounds great, but let me check with Gage. Hang on a sec." Sydney covered the mouthpiece with her hand and looked up at him. "Gage?"

He looked up from his own tall pile of paperwork. "Yeah, Syd?"

"Do you want to have dinner with Walker and Alex tonight?"

"Sure," Gage replied, smiling.

Sydney took her hand away from the phone. "Sure, Alex, dinner sounds great. When should we be there?"

"How does six-thirty sound?"

This time Sydney didn't even bother to consult her partner. "Six-thirty's fine. We'll see you then."

"Great. Bye, Syd."

"Bye, Alex." Hanging up the phone, Sydney smiled at Gage. "Well, the girls will be excited. They'll probably get to put Angela to bed again."

He returned her smile. "Yeah. If Julie and David ever have a kid, those girls will make great big sisters."

------------

Pacing around the living room, Gage checked his watch: 6:02. For once, he wasn't running late, and had been ready for almost fifteen minutes. Sydney and his nieces had closed themselves in Sydney's room to get ready, and he hadn't seen them in more than thirty minutes. Glancing at his watch one more time, he crossed the room and headed down the hall to the bedroom, where he knocked on the door.

"Go away!" three voices—Bridget's, Carmen's, and Christina's—shouted from inside.

Gage heard Sydney giggle, and then the door opened a crack and she stuck her head out. As always, he was taken aback by her beauty. She had pulled her hair back into a simple ponytail, and had only put on the littlest bit of make-up, but she was still gorgeous to him.

"We'll be ready in a minute, Gage."

"It's already five after six," he pointed out.

"I know, I know." Sydney ducked back into her room and whispered something to the girls, then reappeared. "Five minutes, partner." With that, she closed the door in his face.

Gage stared at the door for a few seconds, and shook his head. "Women," he muttered, and retreated to the living room. He grabbed a magazine off the coffee table and settled himself in an armchair.

"Okay, Gage, let's go," Sydney said, when she and the girls emerged from her bedroom exactly five minutes later.

Dropping the magazine back on the table, Gage got to his feet and turned to her. His mouth dropped open in shock. After forty minutes getting ready, his nieces didn't look any different than they had when he picked them up at school! Sure, they had changed their clothes, but everything else looked exactly the same, and he said so.

Bridget looked slightly offended, but Sydney laughed and put an arm around her. "Gage, you just don't understand. It takes time to make it look like you're not wearing make-up. It's a girl thing."

Gage shrugged. "If you say so."


	10. I Love Karaoke

Author's Note: I have almost all the songs planned out for the karaoke, but I am still missing a couple. If you have any ideas, please post them in your reviews, okay? Thanks for the help!

Chapter Ten: I Love Karaoke

"That was wonderful, Alex," Sydney said almost two hours later.

"Thanks," she replied, as she started clearing the table.

"Here, let me do that." Walker jumped to his feet and took the dishes from her.

"Thanks, honey," Alex said, kissing his cheek.

"I'll help you, Walker." Gage got up and picked up his plate, along with Sydney's and Bridget's.

While the men began washing the dishes, the women sat silently around the table. Each was lost in thought, though for different reasons: Bridget, Carmen, and Christina were thinking about Alex's plan, and wondering what it was; Alex was trying to figure out how to get them away from Sydney so she could _tell_ _them_ her plan; and Sydney was thinking about waking up beside Gage the week before. What did it mean, exactly, if anything? And why was she still thinking about it? She wished she knew.

Suddenly, Carmen began to laugh.

"What's so funny?" Bridget asked curiously.

"Sydney, you've got carrots in your hair!"

She reached up and ran her hand through her ponytail. Sure enough, strained carrots. "Angela!" she scolded jokingly.

Everyone laughed. Alex had fed the baby while everyone was eating; more than once Angela had flung baby food at those gathered around the table.

Sydney stood up. "I'm going to go rinse this out." Casting an amused glance at baby Angela, she headed for the bathroom.

"Would you girls like to help me get this one cleaned up?" Alex asked, lifting the messy, food-covered infant from her highchair.

"Sure!" Bridget replied. She and her sisters followed Alex upstairs.

Alex waited until the baby bathtub was full of warm water before she mentioned her plan. "That song that Carmen was humming the other day gave me an idea. Music can be a powerful thing." She paused as she lowered Angela into the tub. "It can put ideas into people's heads, or bring things to their attention that they never realized before."

"That's true," Christina agreed, nodding.

"Go on," Bridget pressed.

Alex held onto Angela as the girls cleaned her up. "I was thinking of throwing a small party this weekend. Not too many people; just everyone that was here tonight, plus Jimmy and Erika. We could disguise it as a going away party for you girls, but it would really be about Gage and Sydney."

"Could we invite Fawn?" Carmen asked.

"Ooh, good idea," her twin said.

"She thinks Uncle Francis and Sydney should get together, too," Carmen explained to Alex. "We talked about it after soccer last week."

The older woman thought for a minute. "Sure, that's fine. As long as she promises not to tell anybody about it."

"Don't worry, she won't," Bridget assured her, as she gently rinsed the shampoo from Angela's blond hair.

"So, your plan sounds great so far," Christina said to Alex. "Where does the music come in?"

"I was thinking about some karaoke."

"Hey, yeah!" Bridget said enthusiastically. "I love karaoke."

"I was thinking we could pick songs that remind us of your uncle and Sydney. Maybe hearing the words, coming from us, will jump-start something." Alex lifted her daughter from the tub, and wrapped her in a towel. "So, what do you think?"

The girls trailed after her as she headed for Angela's bedroom.

"I love it," Bridget said honestly.

"You love what?"

Bridget, Carmen, and Christina jumped. They had almost run right into Sydney in the hall. She had just come up the stairs, rubbing her ponytail with a towel.

Bridget forced a laugh. "We were talking about _Charlie and the Chocolate Factory_."

"We saw it a couple weeks ago," Carmen added quickly.

"I see," Sydney said, following them into the baby's room. "Girls, we need to get going soon."

Bridget, who was buttoning Angela's mint-green sleeper, nodded. "Okay. Can we put Angie to bed first?"

Sydney looked at the pleading faces of the three girls, and nodded. "All right." She took Angela from Bridget and gave the sleepy baby a good-bye kiss. "Bye-bye, Angela," she whispered. Then she turned to Gage's nieces. "I'll be downstairs when you're ready."

"Thanks, Syd," Carmen replied, taking Angela. She watched the Ranger go out into the hall, and listened as she went down the stairs. When her footsteps had died away completely, she breathed a sigh of relief. "Whew. That was close."

"I know," Alex agreed, turning on the mobile over her daughter's crib.

Carmen sat in the rocking chair by the window and started rocking Angela to sleep. "How can we help with the party?" she asked quietly.

"Make me a list of the songs you want to sing. I have a friend who can cut karaoke tracks of almost any song."

"How will we get our list to you?" Christina asked.

Alex thought for a second. "Give it to Josie at the HOPE Center when you go there for soccer on Thursday. I'll stop by there and pick it up from her."

Carmen got to her feet, and laid the sleeping baby in her crib. She covered her with a thin blanket, and led the way into the hall. "Sounds great."

"I'm thinking of bringing Jimmy in on this," Alex said quietly. "He loves to play matchmaker, and I can probably get him to sing something. The more songs, the better."

"What about Walker?" Christina asked.

She shook her head. "Nah. He's not much into this stuff."

Bridget nodded. "Okay. We'll give our list to Josie on Thursday, then."

"I hope this works," Carmen added, and they headed downstairs. They found Walker, Gage, and Sydney watching the news in the living room. "Hey, guys."

"All ready?" Gage asked.

"Yeah," Bridget answered.

Everyone said their good-byes, and Sydney, Gage, and his nieces headed home.


	11. Do You Have the List?

Author's Note: Thanks to those who offered song suggestions. I feel bad that I didn't end up using any of them, but my mom suggested a couple that seemed perfect, before I saw yours. Still, thanks a ton for taking the time to help me out. As a disclaimer, all of the songs belong to their authors, not to me.

Chapter Eleven: Do You Have the List?

"Girls?"

Bridget snapped her head up at the sound of the knock on the door. With a sharp glance at her sisters, she shoved the list she had been writing under her English book. "Yeah?"

Sydney opened the door and poked her head into the room. "Your uncle wants to know if you guys want to watch a movie when you're done."

The three sisters nodded.

"Sounds great," Carmen said.

Bridget looked at the papers that surrounded them on the floor. "We should be done in ten minutes or so."

"Okay." Sydney started to close the door, then leaned back into the room. "By they way, Alex called. She wants to have a good-bye party for you guys on Saturday."

Bridget smiled, fighting back a laugh. _Good-bye party_, she thought. _Right. Sure._ "Awesome!"

"Well, I'll let you get back to work." Again, Sydney started to close the door.

"Hey, Syd?" Bridget called out.

"Yeah?" she replied, opening the door once again.

"Don't let Uncle Francis pick the movie."

Sydney laughed. "Got ya." With a smile, she left the room.

Once the door was shut, Bridget pulled out the list again. As soon as dinner has finished, she and her sisters had told Gage and Sydney that they had homework to do, and had retreated to their bedroom. They didn't know that the girls had finished their homework that afternoon at Ranger Headquarters. (It had become routine for them to go there after school.) But they needed time alone to work on their song list, because it was Wednesday, and Alex needed it the next afternoon.

They had spent the better part of their lunch period searching the cafeteria for Fawn. When they finally found her, they told her about the "good-bye party" and asked her if she wanted to come. Fawn had loved the idea, and said yes at once. She had promised to ask her mother as soon as she got home, and that she would call them to let them know if she got permission.

Now, Bridget glanced at her watch. 7:03. She knew that Fawn's mother should have picked her up at the HOPE Center at about 6:45, and she was wondering why Fawn hadn't called yet. She said so to her sisters.

"Maybe Leona had to work late," Carmen suggested.

Her older sister nodded. "Could be."

Just then, the telephone rang. Bridget jumped to her feet and rushed for it, but it stopped ringing before she got to it. "Darn it," she said under her breath.

A second later, Sydney knocked again.

"Come in!" Christina answered.

"Bridget? Phone for you." Sydney held out the cordless phone. "It's Fawn."

Taking it from her, Bridget smiled. "Thanks, Sydney." She held the phone to her ear as the Ranger exited the room. "Hi, Fawn."

"Hi, Bridget. Sorry I didn't call earlier, but Mom had to work late."

"No prob." Bridget flopped onto her bed. "So, what did your mom say?"

"She said yes!" Fawn replied excitedly.

"That's awesome!" Turning to her sisters, Bridget gave them a thumbs-up.

"Yes!" the twins whispered in unison.

"You're going to sing a song for them, right?" Bridget asked Fawn.

"Yeah, of course," she answered. "What do you think I should sing?"

"I don't know. Carmen and Christina and I are working on our list right now. Alex told me to give it to Josie tomorrow before soccer. Can you pick one by then?"

"Sure. Hang on just a second, okay?" Bridget heard someone talking in the background, and then Fawn came back on the line. "I've got to go. Mom needs me to help with dinner. I'll see you tomorrow at lunch, okay? I promise to pick a song by then."

"Awesome," Bridget said. "See you then. Bye."

"Bye."

Bridget clicked off the phone, and slipped back down to the floor. "She's coming to the party, and she's going to sing a song. She promised to pick one before soccer tomorrow."

"Great." Carmen eyed their list. "Are we set?"

Her twin picked up the paper and read off the list. "Bridget: "You've Got a Way" by Shania Twain. Carmen: "Why Don't You Kiss Her?" by Jesse McCartney. Me: "Sometimes" by Britney Spears. Hmm." She frowned slightly.

"What?" Bridget asked.

"Nothing," Christina answered. "It's just…Is this stuff too young? Will a couple of Britney and Jesse songs get the message across? Maybe we should look for older stuff, stuff Uncle Francis and Sydney listen to."

Bridget shook her head. "We want to sing stuff that they expect of us. Like, they know that I listen to Shania all the time, and that you're a Britney fan. If we sing stuff we don't normally listen to, it would seem weird. And "Why Don't You Kiss Her?" inspired this whole party, so Carmen's _gotta _sing it."

Christina nodded. "Okay. I see what you mean." She handed her the list. "So, are we done?"

"I think so. What do you think, Carmen?"

Carmen considered the list. "I think we're done."

"Great." Bridget slid the paper into her binder and stuffed everything into her backpack. Jumping to her feet, she headed for the door. "Let's go find out what movie Sydney picked."

------------

The next day, Gage's nieces jumped out of the car the second that Sydney parked it in the HOPE Center's driveway. They were running a few minutes late, and the rest of the soccer team was waiting, dressed and ready, on the front lawn.

"Hey, wait for me!" Sydney called out, as she got out and locked the car. "I've got to get our stuff out of the trunk."

"Sorry, Syd. We're just excited, I guess," Bridget apologized. Which was partly true: they _were _excited, just not about soccer. They had gotten Fawn's song—"Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know" by Britney Spears—from her at lunch, and they wanted to get the list to Josie without Sydney seeing them.

"Well, here's your stuff." Sydney tossed the duffel to her.

"Thanks!" Turning, they ran into the house. Alex must have called Josie and told her about the list, because she was waiting in the living room for them.

"Hey, girls," Josie said with a smile, as they came bursting through the door.

"Hi, Josie!" they chorused.

"Do you have the list?"

Bridget reached into the pocket of her skirt, and pulled out a folded slip of paper. She handed it to Josie, who tucked it into the book she was holding just as Sydney appeared in the doorway.

"Hey, Josie," she greeted the Center's assistant director. Then she turned to the girls. "What are you waiting for? Get dressed!"

Giggling, they ran up the stairs.


	12. Beat That, Partner!

Author's Note: Sorry for the delay on this chapter. I had tons of homework and a bit of writer's block as well. Hopefully the wait was worth it. On a disclaimer note, _Desperate Housewives_ belongs to its brilliant creators, as does _Monster-in-Law_.

Chapter Twelve: Beat That, Partner!

"Wisteria!" Gage exclaimed.

"Yes, wisteria," Sydney replied.

"You can't use wisteria; it's not a word. It's just the street the _Desperate Housewives_ live on."

Sydney laughed. It was Friday night, after dinner. She, Gage, and his nieces were sprawled on the living room floor, playing Scrabble. The game was almost over, and Gage was winning…until now. "Actually, Gage, it _is_ a word. It's a flower, I think."

"Prove it."

Getting to her feet, Sydney went to the bookcase to get the dictionary, and Bridget looked at Gage. "Uncle Francis?"

"Yeah?"

A mischievous look crossed her face. "How, exactly, do you know what street the _Desperate Housewives_ live on?"

Gage blushed. "Syd made me watch it once," he mumbled.

The girls erupted in giggles, just as Sydney returned with the dictionary. It was open to the W's, and she handed it to Gage. "_Wisteria_," she read out loud, pointing to the page. "_Any of several climbing woody vines of the genus Wisteria in the pea family, having pinnately compound leaves and drooping racemes of showy purplish or white flowers_." She smiled. "See? I told ya."

"Yeah, yeah," Gage grumbled, as Sydney returned the book to its shelf.

"Okay, let's see," she said, when she returned to her spot on the floor. "That's 11 points…No, wait, the T's on a double letter, so that's twelve…Plus I hit _two_ triple word scores. 108 points, plus the BINGO bonus for using all seven tiles. 158 points. Beat that, partner!"

"But---but---" Gage stammered, dumbfounded.

The phone rang, and Sydney reached over and grabbed it from the coffee table. Looking at the caller ID, she saw Julie's cell phone number. "Hi, Julie."

"Hi, Sydney," Gage's sister responded. "How are you?"

"I'm great. How's David's mom doing?"

"_Much_ better, thank goodness. In fact, unless something happens, we'll be home on Sunday evening."

Sydney smiled. "That's great." She glanced up, and noticed that Gage was holding his hand out for the phone. "Well, Julie, it looks like your brother wants to talk to you…But I don't think I want to give him the phone." She held back a laugh as Gage's mouth dropped open. "He's still pouting because I kicked his butt at Scrabble."

Julie heard him reply, "_I am not_!" and she started laughing. "Francis always hated to lose."

Gage leaned toward Sydney and started tickling her, trying to get the phone.

"Gage! Stop!" she cried out between bursts of laughter. As she tried to push him off of her, she dropped the phone, and Bridget reached over and snatched it.

"Hi, Julie," she said. As Gage continued his assault on Sydney, Bridget climbed to her feet and moved to the couch.

"Hey, sweetie," Julie replied. "What on earth is going on?"

Bridget laughed. "Uncle Francis is tickling Sydney. He wants the phone."

"But you have it," her stepmother pointed out.

"I know," she answered, giggling. "He's so busy tickling her that he hasn't noticed."

Julie cracked up. "Listen, I wanted to let you know that your dad and I will be there to pick you up on Sunday night."

"Cool." Bridget looked around the room: her uncle mercilessly tickling his partner, and her sisters rolling around the floor, laughing their butts off. "I'm going to miss it here," she admitted quietly.

"I know. But now that we live here in Dallas, you'll get to see them more often."

Bridget smiled at that. "You're right. Coolness."

"I've got to go, Bridge," Julie told her. "Your dad is at the store, and your grandmother's calling me. Tell everybody that we love them and we'll see them Sunday, okay?"

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you, too. Oh, and tell your uncle that our flight gets into D/FW at six-thirty on Sunday."

"All right," she agreed. "Bye, Julie."

"Bye, Bridget."

Hanging up the phone, Bridget cleared her throat. Loudly.

Gage stopped tickling, and looked up. "What?"

Sydney took advantage of the distraction and deftly slipped out of Gage's grasp. She was safely across the room and beside Bridget on the couch before he knew what hit him.

"What did Julie say?" Gage asked, as he dumped the Scrabble tiles back into the box. Sydney had, obviously, won the game.

"She and Dad will be here on Sunday," Bridget reported. "Their flight gets in at six-thirty. Oh, and she said to tell you guys that they love you and they'll see you then."

"Great." Gage closed the box and set it on the coffee table, then picked up the DVDs they had rented on the way home. "So, what'll it be? _Fever Pitch_, _Amityville Horror_, or _Monster-in-Law_?"

"_Monster-in-Law_!" Sydney and his nieces replied in unison.

Gage pouted as he loaded the disc into the DVD/VCR. "How come I always get out-voted?"

Everybody laughed.

"Ooh, let's make the caramel popcorn!" Carmen suggested.

"Yeah!" Bridget and Christina agreed.

"Sounds good," Sydney said. "But you've got to help me make it."

Three girls jumped to their feet and followed her into the kitchen, while Gage put the Scrabble game away in the guest room.

------------

Bridget lifted her head sleepily and blinked. The room was fairly dark; the only light came from the television. The DVD main menu for _Monster-in-Law _was on the screen; it must have reverted back to that when the movie was over. Wondering what time it was, she pressed a button on her wristwatch and the face lit up: 2:23 AM. Throwing back the blanket she had been burrowed under, she looked around. Her sisters were asleep beside her, and Uncle Francis and Sydney—

Wide awake now, Bridget reached over and poked Carmen. "Carmen! Christina! Wake up!" she whispered urgently.

Christina pushed her hand away. "Go away," she snapped.

"C'mon, you guys!" Bridget pleaded quietly.

Finally, Carmen sat up and rubbed her eyes. "What is it, Bridge?"

She jerked her thumb over her shoulder. "They did it again," she said simply.

Carmen looked past her and giggled. "Oops."

After the embarrassing fiasco with the bed the week before, Sydney and Gage hadn't opened the sofa bed during a movie since. Instead, they had taken to sitting at opposite ends of the couch. Their precaution had worked so far…until tonight. Once again, they had fallen asleep. Sydney must have moved over next to Gage at some point, because her head was resting on his shoulder, and his arm was wrapped tightly around her.

"Christina, wake up!" Carmen told her twin, smacking her leg with a throw pillow.

"Leave me alone," she murmured.

"Trust me," Carmen insisted. "You'll want to see this."

Sensing she was fighting a losing battle, Christina sat up and turned to her sisters. "_What_?" Then she followed Bridget's gaze toward the couch. "Ohhhh."

"Come on, you guys," Bridget said, stifling a yawn. "We'd better go to bed. We need to get some sleep before "our" party." She emphasized "our" with air-quotes.

Her sisters agreed, and made their way down the hall to their bedroom. Before following, Bridget turned off the television and draped a blanket over her uncle and his partner. Then she headed to bed.


	13. Morning, Shorty

Author's note: I sincerely apologize for how long it took me to get this up. I had the hardest time writing the first part of this chapter. I knew I wanted Sydney to wake up first, but I had difficulty getting it to sound right. I think it turned out okay, and I hope it was worth the wait.

Chapter Thirteen: Morning, Shorty

When Sydney woke during the night, her first thought was, _Where am I?_ She blinked, and looked around. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she saw that she was in her living room. It took her a minute to realize what had happened: she had fallen asleep on the couch. With Gage. Again.

"Damn," she murmured, looking up at her partner's sleeping face. _How do we keep getting into this mess?_ Sydney started to get up, but Gage tightened his arm around her waist. He shifted, and wrapped his other arm around her as well. She knew that she should get up and go to her bedroom…But part of her wanted to stay in Gage's arms, and she was too sleepy to wonder why.

_What the hell?_, she thought, and pulled the blanket tighter around them. Turning toward him, Sydney put her arm around Gage, and laid her head on his shoulder. As she closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep, Gage tilted his head so that it rested atop hers and sighed contentedly.

------------

Bridget was the first to wake up the next morning, a little bit after nine. Hungry, she decided to get herself something to eat. Quietly, so that she didn't wake her sisters, she tiptoed from their room and down the hall. In the living room, she stopped in her tracks and stared at the couch.

Since she had left them the night before, Gage and Sydney had shifted positions. Now they were lying on their sides, Gage with his back against the back of the couch, and Sydney with her back to him. His arm was wrapped tightly around her waist, and though asleep, they were both smiling.

Shaking her head, Bridget made her way to the kitchen, and got herself a bowl of cereal. She poured a glass of orange juice, and stopped to think. She wanted to watch television, but she didn't want to wake anybody up. So the TV set in the living room was not an option, nor was the one in her and her sisters' bedroom. For a minute she wondered if Sydney would mind if she used the one in her bedroom. Deciding it would be okay, she carried her glass and bowl into Sydney's room and turned on the TV.

------------

Gage woke sometime later, and was startled to find Sydney beside him. He didn't remember falling asleep, and he _definitely_ didn't remember lying down with her. Not that he minded, of course. It just came as a surprise. He started to get up so that he could get something to eat—Sydney was right when she said he was always hungry—and realized that in order to get off the couch, he would have to wake her up. He put his hand on her shoulder to shake her awake, and stopped.

_She's so beautiful_, he thought. Removing his hand from Sydney's shoulder, Gage reached up and gently brushed her hair off her face. That was when he noticed her smile. _I can't wake her up when she looks so happy_. He sighed—food would have to wait—and draped his arm back over her waist.

Sydney stirred, and Gage froze. Should he pretend to be asleep? He could tell she was embarrassed the last time they fell asleep together, and he didn't want to put her in that position again. On the other hand, if he feigned sleep and she found out, she'd probably be mad. And he didn't want that.

Which is why, when Sydney opened her eyes and looked over her shoulder at him, he was smiling.

"Morning, Shorty."

------------

"Morning, Shorty."

Sydney's face turned red as she hastily slid out from under Gage's arm and got to her feet. "Um, morning," she mumbled, running a hand through her hair nervously. When had they laid down? The last she remembered, they were still sitting up. She silently cursed herself for not going to her room when she woke up the first time. Looking at the clock, she saw that it was a few minutes after ten o'clock. "Are the girls up yet?"

Gage shrugged as he stood up. "I don't know. I just woke up, myself." Picking up the blanket from the floor, he quickly folded it and tossed it on the couch.

"I'll go check on them," Sydney offered. "And then I'm going to take a shower."

Gage nodded. "Okay. I'm gonna grab something to eat." He headed for the kitchen, and Sydney for the guest room.

The door was open, and she poked her head in and looked around. Carmen and Christina were still in asleep, burrowed under their comforter. Bridget's bed was empty, though, and Sydney wondered where she could be.

She didn't have to wonder long, though, because she was greeted with the answer when she opened the door to her bedroom. Bridget was lying on her stomach on the bed, watching television. She sat up as soon as she saw Sydney.

"Hi," she said. "I hope it's okay that I'm in here. I didn't want to wake you guys."

_She saw us on the couch?_ Sydney thought, mildly panicking. Forcing herself to calm down, she smiled. "No problem. How long have you been up?"

"About an hour."

Sydney grabbed her bathrobe from her closet. "I'm going to get in the shower. Your uncle is in the kitchen, probably making a mess, and your sisters are still asleep."

Bridget nodded. "Okay. I'll go wake them up, and hopefully we can keep Uncle Francis from making _too_ big a mess." She giggled, and headed to her room.

Laughing, Sydney shut off the television and went to take her shower.


	14. You Look Really Beautiful, By The Way

Author's Note: As I was writing this chapter, it started bugging me that Gage's nieces sounded a lot older than I had initially made them. So I went back and changed them: Bridget is now twelve and Carmen and Christina are eleven. Oh, and thanks to one of my reviewers, who reminded me that French toast is the only thing that Gage can cook.

Chapter Fourteen: You Look Really Beautiful, By The Way

Sydney emerged from the bathroom ten minutes later. She dressed in black jeans and a turquoise, sleeveless button-front shirt, and caught her still-damp hair back in a claw clip. Then she headed to the kitchen to see how Gage was doing with breakfast.

"Hey, Syd," he said when he saw her in the doorway. He gestured to the plates in his nieces' laps. "Want some French toast?"

Sydney looked around in amazement. She had seen how easily her partner could destroy a kitchen, even making something as simple as French toast, and so she had been expecting the worst. She got a pleasant surprise, though: he actually hadn't made that much of a mess after all. There was a frying pan on the stove, and a few things in the sink, but that was it. "Sure, thanks." She poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down at the table.

A few minutes later, Gage placed a plate of French toast and bacon in front of her. Then he grabbed his own plate and sat across from her.

"This is great," Sydney said a few bites later. "When did you learn how to make bacon?" she asked teasingly.

"That was my contribution," Bridget volunteered. "Julie taught me how."

"What time are we supposed to be at Walker and Alex's?" Gage asked.

"Six-thirty," Sydney replied. "And Alex said to dress up; it's a pretty fancy party." She looked at the girls. "What do you guys want to do today?"

"Let's go shopping," Carmen suggested.

"Yeah," her twin agreed. "We didn't bring anything fancy, so we don't have anything to wear tonight."

Sydney thought for a minute. "Sure, why not? We can go as soon as you're finished eating."

"Oh sure, leave me with the dishes," Gage pouted.

Everyone laughed.

"I think you can handle it, partner," Sydney told him.

------------

After a fun-filled afternoon of shopping, Sydney and the girls gathered in her bedroom to decide what to wear to the "good-bye party." Bridget, Carmen, and Christina had each bought a new outfit, but Sydney hadn't found anything that looked right.

"How about this?" Carmen asked, pulling out the red dress Sydney had almost worn the week before.

"A definite 'maybe,'" Sydney replied.

"This?" Bridget pulled a strapless black dress from the closet.

"Mm, not that one," Sydney answered. "It needs to be hemmed."

Nodding, Bridget put the dress back and continued her search. Finally, in the very back of the closet, she came across a black-and-silver halter dress. Pulling it from the rack, she turned around. "What about this one?"

Sydney considered the dress. It was the one she had worn to Gage's high school reunion. Though the night had ended in tragedy, she had many happy memories of the early evening. Taking the hanger from Bridget, Sydney held the dress up to herself and studied her reflection in the full-length mirror on the closet door. "I don't know. What do you guys think?

Gage's nieces gathered together and considered the dress. After a moment, they smiled. "Perfect," they said in unison.

Bridget took the hanger back, and laid the dress out on the bed. Then she moved a chair in front of the mirror, and Sydney sat on it. She had already agreed to let Bridget and her sisters do her hair and make-up for the night.

"Leave everything to us," Bridget said, turning the chair so Sydney couldn't see her reflection. "I think you'll like what we have planned."

"I'm all yours," Sydney consented with a giggle.

------------

"Are you guys ready yet?" Gage asked an hour later, after he knocked on Sydney's bedroom door. He pointed to his watch, even though they couldn't see him. "It's after six."

The door opened a crack and Bridget stuck her head out. "Just a minute, Uncle Francis. We're almost ready. Besides, it's _our_ good-bye party. They won't start without us!" With a smile, she shut the door in his face.

Laughing, Gage went back to the living room and picked up a magazine. He had only read a few pages when he heard the bedroom door open. "Geez, Syd, it's about ti—"

_Wow!_, Gage thought, as he was rendered speechless. _She looks so gorgeous._ He recognized the dress Sydney was wearing as the one she had worn to his class reunion. He remembered that night well. Running into Marilyn Elkins…and how jealous Sydney had looked while he and Marilyn reminisced about old times. Sometimes he wondered if Sydney knew, when he told her that he would tell Ted and Marilyn he was crazy about someone else, that he was talking about her.

Bridget, Carmen, and Christina shared a smile. They knew, of course, why their uncle looked so stunned; they knew how beautiful Sydney looked. Bridget had twisted her hair into an intricate topknot, and added a couple of tiny, sparkly silver clips. Carmen and Christina had helped her with Sydney's make-up, and it looked really nice.

Sydney picked up her purse. "Are you ready, Gage?" she asked, oblivious to her partner's speech problem.

"What? Um, sure, Syd," he answered, regaining his voice. He followed her to the door. "You look really beautiful, by the way."

She blushed. "Thanks," she replied with an embarrassed smile. "You look really handsome."

It was Gage's turn to blush. "Uh, thanks, Syd."

Bridget and her sisters giggled all the way to the car.

Author's Note Part 2: I know you're all anxious for the party to start, but I wanted to point out that Sydney chose the reunion dress for the party…I'm not sure why, but it was something I needed to do. But I promise, in the next chapter, the karaoke scheme will begin!


	15. Angel

**Chapter Fifteen: Angel**

"Hurry up, Gage," Sydney insisted, as they headed up the front steps of the Walkers' home. "We're late."

Gage looked at her incredulously as he rang the doorbell. "Only because it took you girls _forever_ to get ready!"

Sydney started to open her mouth to protest, but the front door swung open.

"Hi, you guys! Come on in," Alex said, holding open the door for them.

"Sorry we're late," Sydney apologized.

"_Somebody_ spent over an hour getting ready," Gage pointed out.

Alex fought back a laugh at the death glare Sydney sent at her partner. "It's all right. Leona and Fawn just got here a few minutes ago. Why don't you grab a seat at the table, and I'll bring out the food?"

"Sounds great," Gage said, and he led the way into the dining room.

"I'll help you, Alex," Sydney offered.

"Me, too," Erika and Leona chimed in.

Bridget, Carmen, and Christina exchanged hellos with everyone while the women brought out dish after dish of food.

"I think you made enough to feed an army!" Trivette said teasingly.

"Ha ha," Alex said, feigning sarcasm.

Once all the food had been brought out, everyone started talking and eating, and the time flew by. Around seven forty-five, Alex noticed that Angela had drifted off in her swing. Since they were just about done with dinner, she asked Gage's nieces if they wanted to help her put the baby to bed.

"Of course!" they replied in a single voice, and jumped up from the table.

"Can I help, too?" Fawn asked hopefully.

"Sure," Alex consented with a smile. She lifted the sleeping infant from her swing and led the way upstairs.

"When should we start the karaoke?" Christina asked, when they were upstairs and well out of earshot.

Alex handed Angela to Bridget, who laid her on the changing table and started undressing her. "I was thinking we could do that when we go back downstairs."

Bridget carefully dressed Angela in a lavender sleeper, and put her gently in the crib. "Sounds good to me. The sooner the better."

"I've got all of your songs," Alex said, as she turned on the mobile and the night light. "Plus a whole bunch of other stuff, for anybody else who wants to sing." Draping a blanket over her daughter, she turned to the girls. "Are you ready?"

They nodded.

"As ready as we'll ever be," Carmen responded.

------------

"So, who wants to go first?"

When they had come back downstairs, Alex had suggested karaoke, and everyone agreed that it would be fun. So she insisted that they all look through her song lists while she loaded the dishwasher. Even Gage's nieces and Fawn scanned through the book, so no one would notice that they had picked their songs ahead of time. Now, everyone was gathered in the living room, and it was time to start.

"I'll go first!" Gage volunteered.

"Are you sure about this, partner?" Sydney asked, a teasing look in her eye.

"Of course I am, Syd," he replied, as he selected a CD from Alex's collection and loaded it into the karaoke machine. "You know I have a fantastic voice."

Sydney just shook her head as the music began.

_Girl, you're my angel, you're my darling angel  
Closer than my peeps you are to me, baby  
Shorty, you're my angel, you're my darling angel  
Girl, you're my friend when I'm in need, lady_

Sydney was laughing so hard at Gage's usage of the word 'peeps' that she didn't even hear him say 'Shorty'. She managed to control her giggling before the first verse started, though.

_Life is one big party when you're still young  
But who's gonna have your back when it's all done  
It's all good when you're little, you have pure fun  
Can't be a fool, son, what about the long run  
Looking back Shorty always mention  
Said me not giving her much attention  
She was there through my incarceration  
I wanna show the nation my appreciation_

_He didn't just say 'Shorty', did he?_ Sydney thought. _Nah_, she answered herself. _Couldn't be. I must be imagining things._ She pushed the thought from her mind and concentrated on Gage's singing. Because even though she had teased him in the past, he really did have a pretty good voice.

_Girl, you're my angel, you're my darling angel  
Closer than my peeps you are to me, baby  
Shorty, you're my angel, you're my darling angel  
Girl, you're my friend when I'm in need, lady_

_Okay, he definitely said 'Shorty',_ Sydney said to herself. _But it's just a coincidence, right?_

As soon as Bridget realized what song her uncle was singing, she had sneaked a glance at Sydney every time Gage said 'Shorty'. So of course she noticed how she reacted more and more each time.

_You're a queen and so you should be treated  
Though you never get the lovin' that you needed  
Could have left, but I called and you heeded  
Begged and I pleaded, mission completed  
Mama said that I and I dissed the program  
Not the type to mess around with her emotion  
But the feeling that I have for you is so strong  
Been together so long and this could never be wrong_

_We _have_ been together a long time,_ Sydney thought, and then she caught herself. _We're not _togetherShe corrected herself. _We're just friends, and partners. Ranger partners._

_Girl, in spite of my behavior, said I'm your savior  
(You must be sent from up above)  
And you appear to me so tender, say girl I surrender  
(Thanks for giving me your love)  
Girl, in spite of my behavior, you are my savior  
(You must be sent from up above)  
And you appear to me so tender, well, girl I surrender  
(Said thanks for giving me your love)_

_Life is one big party when you're still young  
But who's gonna have your back when it's all done  
It's all good when you're little, you have pure fun  
Can't be a fool, son, what about the long run  
Looking back Shorty always mention  
Said me not giving her much attention  
She was there through my incarceration  
I wanna show the nation my appreciation_

_Girl, you're my angel, you're my darling angel  
Closer than my peeps you are to me, baby  
Shorty, you're my angel, you're my darling angel  
Girl, you're my friend when I'm in need, lady_

As the song ended, Sydney chewed a little on her thumbnail. She was confused…Was he singing about her, or was she imagining things? And if she was imagining it, _why_? Why did she keep thinking about Gage that way? She was shaken from her thoughts when everyone started clapping, and she smiled and joined in.

"That was awesome, Uncle Francis!" Bridget said, slapping him a high-five.

"Yeah, great job, Gage," Sydney added.

"Thanks," he said, returning to his seat beside her on the couch.

"All right, who's next?" Alex asked.

Christina jumped to her feet. "Me!"


	16. I Can't Be Your Friend

Author's Note: I realized that this was being drawn out a bit, so I deleted some of the song chapters. Though I originally thought them necessary to the advancement of the story, I became aware that it was kinda the same thing over and over. So I took out some of them and rewrote the first paragraph of this chapter, so that at least the songs are mentioned. I kept Gage's initial song, this one, and the two that follow it because they truly _are_ necessary, at least in my opinion. I hope I haven't bored my readers too much, and on with the story.

Chapter Sixteen: I Can't Be Your Friend Anymore

The songs continued for a while as several of the guests performed. Christina sang Britney Spears' "Sometimes," which Alex followed with Shania Twain's "The Woman in Me." Another Shania song came next, when Bridget crooned "You've Got a Way." Fawn sang a beautiful rendition of Britney Spears' "Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know," and Walker surprised everyone by getting up and singing George Strait's "You Look So Good in Love." He even tweaked the words so that the song could apply to Sydney and Gage; Oblivious as always, those two were the _only_ ones who didn't notice. Carmen belted out "Why Don't You Kiss Her?" and noticed her uncle looking a bit anxious. Finally, it was Trivette's turn.

"Just don't laugh at my voice, okay?" he pleaded, just as the music for Tim Rushlow's "I Can't Be Your Friend" began.

_This might come as quite a shock  
But I've given it a lot of thought  
This thing that's come between us can't be ignored  
I've taken all I can  
This is where it's got to end  
Cause I can't be your friend anymore_

Gage's gaze shifted to his partner. He had heard this song many times, and it almost gave him the courage to tell her how he felt. But he always backed down. Right now he was overcome with the urge to grab the microphone from Trivette and sing the song directly to Sydney. Somehow, though, he resisted the urge and turned his attention back to Trivette.

_And I can't be accused  
Of not being there for you  
How many nights have you shown up at my door?  
I hope you understand  
That this wasn't in my plans  
But I can't be your friend anymore_

Sydney turned slightly so that she could look at Gage. It was so true. Often, if they didn't have plans, one of them would show up on the other's doorstep. They would spend the evening watching television, talking, and just enjoying each other's company. It had been going on for a while, and it had become their routine.

_And it's killing me to know you  
Without having a chance to hold you  
And all I wanna do is show you_

_How I really feel inside  
You can run to me  
You can laugh at me  
Or you can walk right out that door  
But I can't be your friend anymore_

_So baby now it's up to you  
Do I win or do I lose?  
Will my heart fly or lie broken on the floor?  
Well take me as I am  
Cause I wanna be your man  
But I can't be your friend anymore_

Gage shifted uncomfortably. The songs were beginning to get to him, and he had to fight to keep from jumping to his feet and declaring his love for Sydney. To ensure that he would stay in his seat, he casually rested his hand on the arm of the couch…and then gripped it for all he was worth. He was determined not to make a fool of himself.

_And it's killing me to know you  
Without having a chance to hold you  
And all I wanna do is show you_

_How I really feel inside  
You can run to me  
You can laugh at me  
Or you can walk right out that door  
But I can't be your friend anymore_

_We can't be just friends anymore_

As Trivette finished the last line, he sneaked a peek at Gage and Sydney. Gage's knuckles were practically white from clinging to the couch arm, and Sydney was nibbling on her fingernails and looking anywhere but at her partner. Sure that their plan was working, Trivette set down the mic and took his place beside Erika on the loveseat.

"That was great, Jimmy," Alex said, amidst the applause for the Ranger.

"Thank you, thank you," he replied, standing and taking a bow…Causing Gage and Walker to throw their empty paper cups at him.

"Who's next?" Walker asked.

"Who hasn't gone yet?" Carmen scanned the room. "Erika?"

She shook her head fervently. "No way. I can't carry a tune to save my life. How about Leona?"

Fawn's mother refused, as well. "The last time I sang karaoke I was nearly laughed off the stage." She turned to Sydney. "How about you, Syd? We _know_ you can sing."

Sydney blushed. She was beginning to regret going undercover as a nightclub singer. "No, I don't think so."

Gage was surprised. "Why not, Syd? You have a great voice."

She shook her head. "No way. I haven't sung a note since that undercover assignment."

"So? It's not like you can lose talent like that."

Touched by her partner's faith in her, Sydney almost gave in. But she shook her head again. "Nope. Sorry."

"Well, then, that's everybody," Alex observed. She got to her feet and began to disassemble the karaoke machine.

"Wait!" Gage exclaimed, jumping to his feet. "I have one more I want to sing."


	17. Don't Breathe

Chapter Seventeen: Don't Breathe

"Another one?" Trivette asked teasingly, a smirk apparent on his face.

Gage flipped through the CDs, looking for one that had caught his eye earlier. He found it without much trouble, and handed the disc to Alex. "Yes, Trivette, _another one_." Gage threw a mock-glare at him as he picked up the microphone.

"You know Gage," Sydney said with a sly look. "Always has to be the center of attention."

Gage tossed a throw pillow at her. "Hey, at least I'm singing!"

Sydney threw the pillow back as the music began.

_Oh yeah, sure, no problem_

_I'll just throw away these feelings_

_Let go of all these hopes_

_And never think of you_

_No offense, but you've lost it_

_If you think I'll just forget you_

_And decide that I don't love you_

_Do you realize what you're tellin' me to do?_

A look of surprise came across Bridget's face, and she turned to her sisters. They, too, looked shocked. Could their plan have worked? Was their uncle really going to reveal his feelings for Sydney? Across the room, Alex was fighting the smug smile that threatened to appear.

_It's like sayin' don't breathe_

_Or don't blink_

_Well darlin', I don't think you understand_

_See, I can't just turn this off_

_It's like sayin' don't eat_

_Or don't sleep_

_Our love's just one of those things_

_That I've gotten used to doin' way too long_

As he finished the chorus, Gage sneaked a peek at Sydney. He was disappointed; though she seemed to be enjoying the song, she didn't appear to realize he was singing about her.

Their love had started out as a friendly one; they were best friends nearly from the beginning. And that love had grown into something bigger…As much as they wanted to ignore it, as many excuses as they made—not ruining the friendship, Ranger regulations, etc.—there was nothing they could do about it. Their love was just one of those things.

With a sigh, Gage returned to his song.

_You don't have to worry_

_I'm not gonna stop you_

_You can pack up all your things_

_And head on out that door_

_But don't stand there and tell me_

_How you think it would be best_

_To leave my feelings in the past_

_And not allow myself to love you anymore_

Sydney bit her lip. Contrary to what her partner thought, she _had_ noticed that he was singing about her. At least, she hoped he was. After listening to everyone's songs, she finally figured out why she loved being around Gage all the time. Why she nearly melted every time her touched her. And why she had so enjoyed waking up in his arms…She was in love with him. And this song gave her a glimmer of hope that he felt the same way.

_It's like sayin' don't breathe_

_Or don't blink_

_Well darlin', I don't think you understand_

_See, I can't just turn this off_

_It's like sayin' don't eat_

_Or don't sleep_

_Our love's just one of those things_

_That I've gotten used to doin' way too long_

Trivette noticed Sydney's reaction to the lyrics, and he reached over and poked Alex's shoulder. When she looked at him, he ever-so-slightly jerked his head in Sydney's direction. (Alex had been watching Gage, for the most part.) When she followed his gaze, she almost jumped up and cheered. Sydney was definitely getting the message of the song, and it seemed that their plan as definitely working.

_It's like sayin' don't eat_

_Or don't sleep_

_Our love's just one of those things_

_That I've gotten used to doin' way too long_

As the music trailed off, everyone began to applaud. With a goofy smile, Gage performed an exaggerated bow.

"That was awesome!" Fawn exclaimed.

"Yeah, Uncle Francis," Bridget chimed in. "Even better than the first one."

Alex began, once again, to disconnect the karaoke machine. "She's right, Gage. That was great."

Blushing ever so slightly at the praise, Gage returned to his seat. He started to slip and arm around Sydney's shoulders, but she stood up. "Hold on, Alex."

Stepping up to the front of the room, Sydney picked up the CD case. "I changed my mind." She selected a CD, and handed it to Alex. "I'll sing."


	18. Is This Really Love?

Author's Note: Okay, this is the last karaoke chapter. The song does not belong to me, though it is one of my favorites; it belongs to the one and only Nia Peeples. Enjoy!

Chapter Eighteen: Is This Really Love?

Cheers broke out across the room as Sydney took the microphone. Alex quickly plugged the machine back in, and the opening strains of Nia Peeples' "Is This Really Love?" filled the room. If Gage could pour his heart out in song—and she hoped to God that's what he was doing, or she was about to completely embarrass herself—so could she. Suddenly self-conscious, Sydney focused on the one person in the room that could calm her down: Gage.

_I wrote a letter just yesterday_

_It was from my heart _

_And what I tried to say _

_Was the truth_

_See, I don't know what to do_

_About loving you_

_It's sad but true_

_Sometimes I'm so confused_

Gage smiled. He really loved hearing Syd's voice, and he wasn't ashamed to admit it. Especially considering that she loved the sound of _his_ voice as well—he heard her say so just as he was coming around after he got his hearing back. He also noticed that she was looking at him as she sang…Was she singing _to _him? He hoped so…maybe that meant that she felt the same way as he did.

_You make me happy_

_Sometimes I'm sad_

_Many questions running through my head_

_Is it real?_

_Is this the way it feels?_

_I'm hoping you can pull us through_

_This all depends on you_

As she sang, Sydney examined the smile on Gage's face. She had expected him to look smug, or gloating; he had gotten his way, and she was singing. But he didn't look that way at all. He seemed…_happy_, she finally decided. Had she been right? Had he been singing about his love for her, and did he know that she was doing the same for him? Taking a deep breath, she focused on Gage as she launched into the chorus.

_Is this really love?_

_Is this the way that I'm supposed to feel forever?_

_Together we'll solve all the questions_

_In my mind_

_In the strength I should find_

_I'll find in you_

_If this is really love_

Whoa. Bridget couldn't believe that their plan had finally worked. Sydney was definitely singing to Gage—she couldn't take her eyes off him. Nor could he bring himself to look anywhere else but at her. Bridget looked behind her at Alex, who was wearing a huge smile as the tiniest of teardrops formed at the corner of her eye. Rolling her eyes—adults could be so emotional—Bridget turned her attention back to Sydney.

_I can't imagine what I would do_

_Can't imagine life without you_

_I feel the pain_

_It just wouldn't be the same_

_Please teach me_

_The way it should be_

_Your tenderness I need_

_Is this really love?_

_Is this the way that I'm supposed to feel forever?_

_Together we'll solve all the questions_

_In my mind_

_In the strength I should find_

_I'll find in you_

_Is this really love?_

_Is this the thrill that I feel_

_When you kiss me?_

_I can't imagine it with any other_

_Don't let go_

_You can give me so much more_

_So much love_

_If this is really love_

Sydney blushed bright red as she sang '_when you kiss me_.' It was a blush that did not go unnoticed by Gage…because he, too, was turning red. Nobody knew about the kiss they had shared after the wedding, or the other kiss while they were undercover with the Raptors. Granted, that had been more for show than anything else; they had been undercover as a couple, and the kiss was expected of them. Still, it had sent shivers down Sydney's spine, and continued to do so every time she thought of it. What she didn't know was that it did the same to her partner.

_Oh, oh this love_

_This love can be so new to me_

_Don't let go_

_You've got to show me how to love_

_Is this really love?_

_Is this the way that I'm supposed to feel forever?_

_Together we'll solve all the questions_

_In my mind_

_In the strength I should find_

_I'll find in you_

_Tell me, boy_

_Is this really love?_

_Is this the thrill that I feel_

_When you kiss me?_

_I can't imagine it with any other_

_Don't let go_

_You can give me so much more_

_So much love_

_If this is really love_

_I'm asking you_

_About true love_

_Is this really love?_

As the music trailed off, Sydney was aware of the loud cheering and applause that filled the room. Blushing at the praise, she set down the mic and moved toward Gage. Bending down so that only he would hear her over the noise, she asked him, "Gage, can I talk to you for a minute? Outside?"

Nodding, Gage got to his feet. "We'll be right back," he told their friends, and lead the way out the front door.


	19. You're The Best Friend I've Ever Had

Chapter Nineteen: You're the Best Friend I've Ever Had

As they shut the front door behind them, Sydney and Gage heard giggling and the opening strains of a Disney song.

"Sounds like the girls are having fun," Gage observed, avoiding Sydney's gaze.

"Yeah." She didn't look at him, either, as they sat side-by-side on the porch swing. They were quiet for a minute, listening to the music they could hear, faintly, from inside the house. Finally, she took a deep breath. "Gage?"

"Yeah, Syd?"

"When you were singing…" _Come on, Sydney, just do it!_, a tiny voice inside her head urged her. "Were you…singing about me?"

Gage turned and looked at her. She looked so different, so…vulnerable. She still wasn't looking at him; instead, she was studying her hands in her lap. She looked as if she might burst into tears at any moment. He sighed. "Honestly?"

An exasperated sigh. "No, I want you to lie to me," Sydney answered sarcastically. The hurt look on his face made her regret it, and she finally looked at him. "I'm sorry, Gage. Yes, I want you to be honest."

He took a deep breath, and then looked into her eyes. "Yes, Sydney, I was singing about you."

She wasn't used to hearing her full name from him, and something about it told her that he wasn't lying. "Really?"

He smiled. "Yes, really. I meant every word I said, in both songs. You _are_ my angel, and I _have_ loved you way too long to forget about it."

Sydney blushed. "I don't know exactly when I fell in love with you. Probably the first time I met you. You're a pretty special guy, you know, to not mind being partnered with a woman. Most guys would hate it."

Gage laughed. "Not only don't I mind it, I chose it." He told her about how Walker let him choose his partner when he asked Gage to work with him.

"I never knew that," Sydney said softly.

"So if you've loved me since we met, how come you never said anything?"

Put on the spot, she turned the tables on him. "How come _you_ didn't?"

He looked thoughtful for a minute before he spoke. "Because I value our friendship more than anything in the world. I was afraid that you might not feel the same way, or that it might not work out…I didn't want to destroy my relationship with the best friend I've ever had."

A tear slipped down Sydney's cheek, and she brushed it away quickly. "I know how you feel…_You're_ the best friend _I've_ ever had."

Gage took her hand in his, and they just sat there for a few minutes. Then Sydney broke the silence.

"What are we going to do about this?

"What do you mean?"

She sighed. "Well, now that everything's out in the open, I don't think I can go back to being 'just friends'."

Gage shook his head. "Me, neither." He smiled, and leaned in to kiss her.

Sydney put her hand on his shoulder and gently pushed him away. "Wait. What about work? I don't want another partner."

"Me, neither." Gage was starting to get the picture. "But there are definitely rules against dating your partner." With a sigh, he sat back and ran his hand through his hair. "What are we going to do?"

Shrugging, Sydney sat back as well, and laid her head on his shoulder. "I have no idea. We can't try and keep it a secret…Not after that musical display in front of Walker."

Gage thought for a minute. "Well, what if we just keep it a secret from Captain Briscoe?" he suggested. "He's the one that matters, right?"

"Right," Sydney answered slowly. "Do you think Walker would go along with that?"

He nodded. "I think so." Sitting up, he turned to her. "I love you, Syd."

"I love you, too."

Gage put his arm around her and pulled her close. He dipped his head, and their lips got closer and closer…

_"What? No way!"_


	20. Kiss The Girl

Author's Note: The idea for this chapter was entirely my mother's. We were listening to a mix CD of possible songs for this story and this one came on and she was like, "I can totally see Trivette singing this." And she harassed me until I agreed to put it in my story! Disclaimer: you _know_ the song belongs to Walt Disney.

Chapter Twenty: Kiss the Girl

_"What? No way!"_

Gage and Sydney jerked apart, surprised by the shout.

"What was that?" she asked.

"I don't know," he replied, "but it sounded like Trivette." Taking her hand, he led her back into the house.

What they saw was a sort of comical stand-off. Carmen, Christina, and Bridget were lined up at the front of the room; Carmen was holding out a microphone. Trivette stood across from them, arms folded and shaking his head. Alex was once again standing by the karaoke machine, her finger on the 'play' button. It looked as if everyone in the room was trying not to laugh.

"Come on, Jimmy!" Carmen pleaded.

Trivette shook his head adamantly. "Uh-uh. No way."

"Please?" Christina tried.

Again he shook his head. "Not a chance."

Bridget sighed, about ready to give up. Then she glanced at the doorway, where he uncle and Sydney were standing. Taking a deep breath, she tried one last offer: "We'll sing back-up for you."

"Nope."

Fawn got up from the floor and tugged on Trivette's arm. When he looked down at her, she stuck out her bottom lip in a tremendous pout. "Pretty please?"

He glanced back and force between the girls and Gage and Sydney. Finally, he relented, and took the microphone. "All right," he said reluctantly. "I'll do it. But you _have _to sing back-up."

Excited, Bridget plugged another mic into the machine as Trivette took center stage. She and the other girls squished together off to the side, ready for their cue.

"I wonder what he's singing," Gage whispered, as he and Sydney returned to their seats on the couch.

"No idea." She shrugged as Alex started the music.

"_Percussion_," Trivette said in almost a whisper. "_Strings…Winds…Words._"

Alex fought back a laugh as she recognized the song. (Bridget had put the disc in the machine, and she wouldn't let anyone else see it.)

_There you see her_

_Sitting there across the way_

_She don't got a lot to say_

_But there's something about her_

_And you don't know why_

_But you're dying to try_

_You wanna kiss the girl_

Everyone was giggling now. The sight of James Trivette, Texas Ranger, ex-football player, singing a _Disney song_? One originated by a singing _crab_, of all things? It was just too much. Trivette, himself, struggled to keep a straight face as he continued.

_Yes, you want her_

_Look at her, you know you do_

_Possible she wants you too_

_There is one way to ask her_

_It don't take a word_

_Not a single word_

_Go on and kiss the girl_

Trivette turned to Gage's nieces and Fawn, and winked. Then he lowered his voice to a Barry White-ish level. "_Sing with me, now_."

A wave of laugher went around the room as he launched into the chorus.

_Sha la la la la la_

_My oh my_

_Look like the boy too shy_

_Ain't gonna kiss the girl_

_Sha la la la la la_

_Ain't that sad_

_Ain't it a shame_

_Too bad he gonna miss the girl_

Bridget, Carmen, Christina, and Fawn dissolved into giggles during the instrumental break. Trivette glared at them, then burst out laughing himself. He barely regained his composure before the next verse came up.

"Do you think that's supposed to be a hint?" Gage asked Sydney in a low voice.

She looked around the room. "With this bunch, I wouldn't be surprised."

_Now's your moment_

_Floating in a blue lagoon_

_Boy you better do it soon_

_No time will be better_

_She don't say a word_

_And she won't say a word_

_Until you kiss the girl_

_Sha la la la la la_

_Don't be scared_

_You got the music there_

_Go on and kiss the girl_

_Sha la la la la la_

_Don't stop now_

_Don't try to hide it how_

_You wanna kiss the girl_

By now, everyone was watching Sydney and Gage, to see if they would take the hint. They weren't paying any attention, however; they were too busy laughing at Trivette and his "back-up singers."

_Sha la la la la la_

_Float along_

_And listen to the song_

_The song say kiss the girl_

_Sha la la la la la_

_Music play_

_Do what the music say_

_You gotta kiss the girl_

As the music began to fade out, with Trivette and the girls whispering, "_Kiss the girl_," every few seconds, Gage turned to Sydney.

"Should we _'do what the music say'_?" he asked with a horrible Jamaican accent, raising his eyebrows mischievously.

Sydney giggled. Instead of answering, she wrapped her arms around his neck. Gage pulled her to him, and as their lips met, a cheer erupted throughout the room.


	21. Um, Walker?

Author's note: I am so sorry that it's taken me so long to update this story. I got tied up with a huge project for my psych class, and then finals…I finally got time to work on this last weekend at work. So…here we go!

Chapter Twenty-One: Um, Walker

The party broke up a little while later, when Leona said that she needed to get up early the next morning for work. She and Fawn said their good-byes, and Gage's nieces offered to walk them out. Trivette and Erika said goodnight, as well; only Gage, Sydney, and the Walkers remained.

"Um, Walker?" Sydney asked, somewhat timidly. "Gage and I need to talk to you about something."

"Let me guess," Walker replied, standing and leaning against the wall. "You want to know if I'm going to break up your partnership now that you two are…more than partners."

Sydney nodded.

"I really wish you wouldn't," Gage said. "Sydney is the best partner I've ever had. She knows what I'm thinking, anticipates my actions, and she had the best instincts of any ranger I've known."

Walker thought for a minute. "You two _are_ the best team I've worked with. Do you think you can keep things professional on the job?"

"Absolutely," Gage answered.

"Not a problem," Sydney chimed in.

"Well," Walker said, "I'll have to talk to Captain Briscoe on Monday morning—"

Sydney's heart sank. That's what she had been afraid of.

"—but I don't think there'll be a problem," Walker finished.

The girls came back inside then, so they left it at that. But it was on Sydney's mind for the rest of the night.

------------

Sydney couldn't sleep that night. She kept imagining every horrible scenario that could arise when Walker talked to Captain Briscoe. Finally she got out of bed; she needed to talk to Gage. Pulling on a robe over her tank top and pajama bottoms, she tiptoed toward the living room. Gage was sprawled out on the sofa bed in sweatpants and a t-shirt, snoring lightly. Sydney approached him and gently shook his shoulder. "Gage?"

"Mmm." He brushed her hand away.

She shook him harder. "Gage, I need to talk to you."

"Syd?" He slowly opened his eyes and blinked a few times. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he noticed the worried expression on his partner's face. "What's wrong?" He sat up and motioned for her to sit.

She settled into a crossed-legged position beside him, and sighed. "I'm worried."

"About the captain?" Gage asked knowingly.

Sydney nodded. "Yeah. I just know he's going to split us up. And you'll be partnered with some gorgeous, leggy blonde, and you'll break up with me. I'll be alone…"

Gage put his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. "Syd, you're babbling. First of all, we don't know for sure that he'll split us up. He trusts Walker's judgment, and Walker thinks we should stay together. Second, there aren't any leggy blonde Texas Rangers…I know. I've checked."

Sydney smacked him with his pillow, but she was laughing.

"And third, I will never break up with you," Gage went on seriously. "You're stuck with me."

She smiled. "I wouldn't want to be stuck with anyone else."

It was Gage's turn to smile. "Come here, Shorty."

Sydney moved closer to him, and he wrapped his arms around her. They held each other for a long time, each hoping things would work out. Eventually, though, Sydney pulled away.

"I'd better get back to bed," she said reluctantly.

Gage nodded understandingly. If his nieces hadn't been asleep down the hall, he'd ask Sydney to stay with him. Instead, he kissed her goodnight, and she returned to her bedroom.


	22. I've Got Bad News

Author's note: I haven't done a disclaimer since the first chapter, so here it is: I don't own any of the _Walker, Texas Ranger_ characters. (If I did, Sydney and Gage would have gotten together, and Sydney would have been in the TV movie.) However, Julie's husband, his daughters, and Keely belong to me. So, on with the story.

Chapter 22: I've Got Some Bad News

"Are you girls all packed?" Sydney asked.

Bridget, Carmen, and Christina nodded. It was Sunday afternoon, a little after twelve. Sydney had made grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch, and they had been talking non-stop about the previous night's party, before changing the subject to Julie and David's return.

"What time are they coming home?" Carmen asked. "I forgot."

"Their flight leaves San Francisco at two-thirty-five Texas time," Gage replied. "They should get here around six-thirty."

"We've got to leave for the airport at five-thirty," Sydney added. "What do you want to do until then?"

"Can we go to the park and play soccer?" Bridget asked hopefully.

"Do you _always_ have soccer on the brain?" Sydney asked with a smile.

Bridget blushed, and then nodded sheepishly. "Pretty much."

Everybody laughed.

"What do you say, girls?" Gage asked. "Feel like playing some soccer?"

Carmen and Christina nodded. "Sure, why not?" they answered in unison.

"Can we invite Fawn?" Christina asked.

"Yeah!" Bridget agreed enthusiastically. "Her mom's at work, so she home alone."

Sydney looked at Gage, then shrugged. "Why not? As long as it's okay with Leona." And it was.

Gage was loading the dishwasher a little while later when the phone rang. Wiping his hands on a dishtowel, he answered it. "Hello?"

"Hey, little brother!"

Gage shut the dishwasher and leaned against the counter. "Hey, Jules! What's up?"

"I've got bad news," she replied glumly. "Our flight's been delayed."

"Delayed?" Gage repeated. "For how long?"

"We don't know for sure," his sister answered. "They said at least two hours, maybe more. It'll be at least nine before we get into Dallas."

"I'm sorry, sis."

Julie sighed. "Me, too." She paused. "Listen, I've got to go. Tell the girls we love them and we'll get there as soon as we can."

"I will. I love you, sis."

"I love you, too, Francis. Bye."

Gage hung up the phone and sighed. Tossing the dishtowel on the counter, he went into the living room. Sydney and his nieces were there, dressed for soccer and tying there sneakers.

"Hey, you guys. I just talked to Julie."

"Is she all right?" Bridget asked.

"She's fine," her uncle assured her. "But their flight's been delayed, and they won't be here until at least nine."

"That sucks," Carmen said.

"Royally," her twin chimed in.

They were quiet for a minute, and then Bridget spoke up.

"We can still play soccer, right?"

Everybody laughed, and Sydney bopped her with a throw pillow.

"Yes, we can, you soccer nut," she replied with a smile.

------------

"And it Bridget Rollins with the ball!" she exclaimed in an announcer's voice. She had just stolen the ball from Carmen, and was dribbling toward the goal. She neared it, and lined up her shot. "She kicks…"

Gage, the goalie, jumped to try and make the save. The ball soared into the net's upper corner, and Gage fell to the ground with a thud.

"She scores!" Bridget finished triumphantly.

A cheer went up along the sidelines: Trivette, Erika, Walker, Alex, and Angela had joined them at the park. Alex had even packed a picnic dinner for after the soccer game. Sydney, Bridget, and Fawn slapped high fives with each other. They were one team, and were ahead of Gage and the twins by four goals.

Suddenly, Gage's cell phone rang. "Time out, guys!" he shouted. Running to the sidelines, he grabbed his phone from the pocket of his jacket. "Gage."

"Hey, Francis, it's me."

Julie. "Hey, sis. Hang on a sec." Covering the phone with his hand, he turned to his friends. "Hey, Trivette, can you take over the goal for me?"

"Sure."

As Trivette ran onto the field, Gage dropped onto the grass. "What's up, Jules?"

"They 'delayed flight' turned into a 'canceled flight'. We won't be getting home tonight."

"I'm so sorry," Gage told her honestly.

"The airline is putting us up in a hotel for the night," she continued. "They've got us on a noon flight tomorrow—two o'clock your time." She paused. "You and Sydney don't mind keeping the girls an extra night, do you?"

Gage laughed. "Of course not! It's fine." His gaze shifted to the field, where Christina was about to take a shot at the goal. She kicked the ball, and Sydney plucked it out of the air. Smiling, Gage turned his attention back to his sister. "So, we'll meet you at the airport around six?"

"Sounds great. I've got to go, but I owe you one, Francis."

"I love you, Jules."

"Love you, too. Bye."

Hanging up the phone, Gage got to his feet. "Hey, Syd!"

"Yeah?" she replied, as Carmen kicked the ball in her direction. Sydney jumped for it, but missed.

"Can you come here for a sec?"

Sydney brushed some grass from her shorts and jogged across the field. Alex took her place in the goal, and Gage repeated his conversation with Julie.

"Should we tell the girls now?" he asked. "Or should we wait?"

Sydney checked her watch: 5:03. "It's after five. We might as well tell them now."

Gage nodded, and called his nieces over to them.

"What's up, Uncle Francis?" Bridget asked, cradling the soccer ball under one arm.

"I've got bad news."

The girls' faces fell as their uncle told them about the flight cancellation.

"They won't be here today _at all_?" Carmen asked. "This sucks."

"It doesn't just suck," Christina said. "This _sucks monkey-butt_."

Everybody laughed, and the cloud created by the bad news seemed to lift.

"_Sucks monkey-butt_?" Sydney repeated. "Where did that come from?"

"Our best friend Keely says that all the time," Bridget answered.

Alex, who couldn't help but overhear the conversation, chose that moment to open up the picnic basket. "Anybody hungry?"

"Yes!" everyone chorused.

"Well, dig in!"


	23. Well?

Author's Note: Sorry for the humongous delay. I had written a draft of this chapter months ago, and accidentally threw it away. I've been trying to recreate it from memory ever since. The scene with Captain Briscoe isn't quite as good as it was the first time, but it's okay. I'm guessing one more chapter, two at the most.

Chapter 23: Well…

The next morning, Gage and Sydney dropped the girls at their school and headed to Headquarters. They were hoping to see Walker before he talked to Captain Briscoe…

Kind of get some reassurance that everything would work out. To their dismay, though, Walker wasn't in the office.

"Another high school speech," Trivette explained. "Houston, I think. He said he'd be back by one."

Sydney's heart sank as she sat down at her desk. She knew she wouldn't be able to concentrate until she knew what was going to happen. As she shared a look with Gage, she knew he felt the same way. Sighing, Sydney opened a file and got to work.

------------

At one forty-five, Walker parked his truck in front of the courthouse. He'd gotten caught in traffic on the way back from Houston, and he was almost an hour late. Entering the building, he didn't even stop in at Company B; he headed straight for Captain Briscoe's office.

"Do you have a minute?" he asked.

"Sure," Briscoe replied. "Have a seat."

Walker closed the door behind him and sat across from the captain.

"What's on your mind, Walker?"

He took a deep breath. "I'd like to talk to you about Rangers Cooke and Gage."

"Is something wrong?"

"No, sir, not at all. But I've discovered that they've recently become…more than partners."

"I see."

"And while I believe it's necessary to bring this to your attention, I also believe things should stay as they are."

"You don't think we should separate them?" Briscoe asked.

Walker shook his head. "No. They're the best team I've worked with, Captain. They assure me that they can keep things professional at work, and I believe them. The fact that they're being up-front about this, instead of hiding it, demonstrates their respect for this office."

"So let me see if I have this right," Captain Briscoe said slowly. "Gage and Cooke are involved romantically, and you think we should keep them partnered up?"

"That's right," Walker confirmed. "I truly think it would be a mistake to split them up."

"Well…"

------------

"Well?" Bridget asked, as she climbed into the backseat of her uncle's car.

"Well, what?" he replied.

All three of his nieces leaned forward and gave him a "duh" look.

"What did the boss-dude say?" Christina asked.

Sydney laughed. "We don't know what the 'boss-dude' said. Walker hasn't been in the office all morning."

"Seriously?" Bridget asked.

"Seriously."

In unison, the three girls fell back against the seat and sighed.

"This sucks baboon butt," Carmen muttered.

Sydney heard her, and turned around. "_Baboon_ butt? I thought it was _monkey_ butt."

Carmen shook her head. "Keely changed it."

"She thought 'baboon butt' was funnier," Christina added.

Gage shook his head. "You girls worry me."

------------

When Walker finally entered Company B, he found it nearly empty.

"Where is everybody?" he asked.

"Hostage situation at a jewelry store," Trivette responded.

Walker started for the door, but his partner called him back.

"It's over," he explained. "They guys surrendered about ten minutes ago. Everyone's on their way back. We tried to call you, but you didn't answer your cell."

"Battery died this morning." Walker sat down at his desk. "Were Gage and Sydney on that call?"

Trivette shook his head. "Nope. They had just left to pick up the girls at school, so they missed it."

As if on cue, Gage, Sydney, and the girls entered the office.

"Hey!" Walker called out. "Just the two rangers I've been looking for."

Biting her lip, Sydney followed Gage to their boss's desk. Bridget, Carmen, and Christina set up their things on their usual table, and watched from a distance.

"I spoke to Captain Briscoe," Walker told them, and then he paused.

"And?" Gage prompted.

"And…" Walker's face broke into a grin. "He agrees that it's best to keep you as partners."

Thrilled, Gage and Sydney embraced. They broke the hug when their boss cleared his throat.

"Oops," Sydney said, blushing.

"Won't happen again, boss," Gage added.

"See that it doesn't," Walker said. He tried to keep a straight face, but he and Trivette broke into laughter.

Gage's nieces approached them cautiously.

"So…everything's okay?" Carmen asked.

Sydney put an arm around Bridget and the other around Carmen. "Yeah, everything's okay."


End file.
